One of the best decisions you can make for your company is to ensure that it is always protected from external attacks involving hackers. Hackers are online criminals who are always looking to gain unauthorized access to your private data and steal the information to use it for criminal activities. Therefore, your business computers need to be protected by the use of antivirus software and firewalls.
Most organizations normally use Wi-Fi as a marketing tool, and it has become one of the expectations of customers all over the world. Without having a password in your organization, you will be viewed as unreliable and inefficient. Therefore, this has become a necessity for any business out there. However, as you look to provide Wi-Fi for your clients and employees, there are things that you have to keep in mind to ensure that it does not harm your business. The following are some of the 8 tips that will help to protect your business Wi-Fi from hackers.
Change Your Default Password
In case you did not change your default password when setting up your router, you should ensure that you immediately change it to a new and unique one. This is a very important aspect of protecting your Wi-Fi because there are default passwords meant for all network equipment. If you do not change it, then anyone will be able to access the Wi-Fi and gain unauthorized access to your company’s data.
Use a Firewall
macOS and Windows devices normally come with in-built firewalls that you can take advantage of. Firewalls work by creating a barrier between your data and the outside world. You can use firewalls to block any unauthorized access to your company’s network. In case of any attempted intrusion, a firewall will alert you so that you may take the necessary steps to protect your business.
Avoid Broadcasting Your Router Details
Another important aspect to look into when protecting your company’s Wi-Fi is by going to the router settings and changing your service set identifier (SSID). The SSID refers to your network’s name as seen by the outside world. Normally, the default name of the router is usually the manufacturer’s name.
Currently, it is very easy for hackers to find admin logins online, which means that it is important to ensure that you do not make their work easier.
Use VPN
If you are serious about securing your network traffic, it is high time you considered using encryption. Ensure that you have enabled VPN to help keep your company’s data safe for your employees to access. VPNs normally use encrypted tunnels to carry your company’s data, which makes it hard for any outsiders to access it.
Install Antivirus Software
Today, there are malware and viruses everywhere that pose a threat to any computer out there. Therefore, you should make sure that you always protect computers from attacks by installing antivirus software that will help to detect and destroy such harmful programs.
Set Up Separate Public and Private Access
It is also important to ensure that your Wi-Fi has separate access for your employees and the public. In this case, you will prevent giving unintended access to your business networks and computers to a potential hacker. To ensure this, create two different SSIDs with two different points to your business’s network. One of them should be accessible to the public and the other one to your company’s staff.
Turn Off WPS
Always make sure that your WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) is turned off unless you are using it for something specific. It makes it easy when it comes to pairing any device with your encrypted network. If left open, it can create a chance for someone with criminal intent to carry out their activities.
Update Your Software and Firmware
You create an easy time for hackers by constantly not updating your Wi-Fi router’s software. Normally, these updates act as fixes to security, and if you do not update these security patches, then you will leave your company’s network at the mercy of hackers.
Conclusion
Most people tend to only focus on profits when it comes to taking care of their businesses. However, you might get all the profits you need, but if you do not protect your company’s Wi-Fi, then you risk losing all the profit you have struggled to make in all those years in case hackers gain access to your company’s system. Ensure that you take all the necessary measures to help you protect your business’s info in order to avoid any loss of data and money in the future.