As a result of the digitalization of households, in addition to the positive effects such as increased comfort, there are also more and more potential gateways for cybercriminals. When unsecured, routers allow attackers to break into the router from outside and spy on the device and connected devices, causing personal or financial harm to users.
WiFi routers enable wireless internet connection
According to the statistics portal Statista, around 91 percent of all households in Germany had an internet connection in 2022. Every common Internet router is now equipped with WLAN (“Wireless Local Area Network”), which can be used to connect multiple devices wirelessly to the Internet. In addition to smartphones, tablets and computers, printers, lights, speakers, thermostats, roller shutters, vacuum cleaner robots and many other smart devices can also be controlled via WLAN. The router can also give cybercriminals access to the home network by breaking into the router, warns the Federal Office for Information and Security Technology (BSI). This allows them to spy on and manipulate this and all connected devices.
Protective measures for home WiFi
In order to ward off attacks by cyber criminals, the BSI recommends various measures: In order to protect the application for managing the router from unauthorized access, the standard passwords should definitely be changed. The BSI recommends passwords with at least eight characters and different types of characters such as upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters. In addition to the router password, a separate WLAN password should also be assigned, which enables wireless access to the local radio network. According to the BSI’s recommendation, this should consist of at least 20 unrelated characters and contain different types of characters. It is also advisable to rename the standard network name to something that does not reveal anything about the router. If the name of the WLAN contains detailed information about the manufacturer or model of the router, this information can be useful to a potential attacker, according to the BSI.
The BSI’s basic recommendations also include regular checking and updating of the so-called router firmware – i.e. the device’s operating software. Updates typically include new features or bug fixes, including fixes for security vulnerabilities. In addition to access to the Internet, modern routers enable a variety of additional functions, such as use as a media player. However, these functions can also represent a gateway for attackers, which is why all unnecessary functions should be deactivated. The same applies to the router’s remote access, which makes it possible to configure it from outside the home network. The BSI also recommends setting up a guest network to separate other people’s access from your own sensitive services such as online banking or home office applications. A separate network is also advisable for smart home devices, according to an article from the consumer advice center. If potential security vulnerabilities in these devices give criminals access, the attackers will not be able to access personal devices such as smartphones, tablets or computers via the same network.
When purchasing a new router, you should pay particular attention to the data protection and IT security of the device, according to the consumer advice center. The BSI IT security label can serve as a guide here.
Behavior on public WiFi
Users often take advantage of the opportunity to connect to public networks, such as at train stations or in restaurants. However, using a third-party Wi-Fi network also involves risks, especially if you don’t know the operator or the background. By using the WiFi network, data can easily be accessed or malware can be introduced onto the device, warns the BSI.
Editorial team finanzen.net