How to Prevent Others From Accessing a Home Network

Security of data is an important issue in any network – home or corporate. Unauthorized access to a network can play havoc with all the information stored, compromising the interests of network users. Aside from accessing sensitive information, hackers can use your PC as a platform to launch viruses and other programs harmful for others on the network. Here is how you can prevent others from accessing a home network.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

General Guidelines

1. Use the latest operating systems and other software including anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-phishing, anti-spam and firewall. Newer versions are usually equipped to handle common viruses and hacking strategies. Additionally, always install licensed software and download patches and updates soon after their release.

2. Create unique user accounts for all users so anybody working on a computer is required to give his or her username and password before accessing the network.

3. Assign role-based privileges to users. For instance, employees or part-timers working with you may not need to access all customer data. When creating user accounts, you can give them limited access to information.

4. Set restrictions on Internet access. You may want to restrict access to adult content sites if you have employees working from your home office and/or have school going kids.

5. Ensure that passwords used are difficult to crack and are changed regularly.

6. Maintain detailed logs of user activity. This is especially important when the network is connected to the Internet.

7. Have a security policy in place. Clearly communicate its rules and guidelines to all users including kids.

8. Shut down all hosts and networking devices if you are traveling or will not be using the network for extended periods.

Keeping the Internet Connection Safe to Avoid Unauthorized Access

9. Change your default login information soon after setting up and configuring the Internet connection.

10. Avoid remote administration of the network or any of its hosts.

11. Ensure that the network is protected by a firewall.

12. Use a router to connect a network to the Internet. All routers come with some form of firewall automatically providing a layer of security to the network. Additionally, routers are a good means of sharing one Internet connection among multiple hosts. Routers support several other features beneficial for a network, wired as well as wireless. Routers used in wired networks are different from those used in wireless networks.

13. Feed MAC addresses, unique identifiers of networking devices, into the router and access points so they can identify invalid hosts from those forming the network.

14. Disable mobile coding that uses ActiveX, Java and JavaScript especially from sites you do not trust. This restricts outsiders from running malicious code on your PCs.

15. Disable SSID broadcast if the network is wireless. Generally, routers and access points regularly and automatically broadcast the SSID making it useful in mobile hotspots where consumers come, use the service and move on. Disabling the SSID, particularly in home offices hides the network from prying eyes though it can still be detected by other means.

16. Change the SSID, network name of the router and access points, immediately after setting up the network. The default SSID for ease of configuration is a simple name, which the hackers can easily determine.

17. Avoid using dynamic IP addresses. Their ease of use also makes them an easy target. Instead, use static IP addresses for network hosts.

18. Use devices that support at least WPE for a wireless network. WPE is a data security protocol especially designed for wireless networks. WPA and WPA2 provide enhanced security. Same levels of data security can be maintained by using equipment conforming to the same security protocol.

19. Minimize leakage of wireless signal by placing router and access points in the center of your home. Setting up these devices in a balcony or near a window/door sends the signal outside, where it can be easily used by other appropriately configured devices.

20. Do not open emails from suspicious sources. Delete such mails without opening them.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid compatibility issues when switching from anti-virus or firewall to another similar application by first completely uninstalling the existing program and then installing the new version.
• None of the security measures mentioned here is individually sufficient. Implementing several of these guidelines makes the network increasingly difficult to hack into. In spite of using these strategies, there is room for unauthorized access though the chances are greatly reduced.