Routers Are ‘Front Line Of Cyber Crime’

While many businesses now accept that their WiFi can represent the first line of defence against cyber crime, more need to realise that their router itself can represent a security vulnerability, one expert has suggested.

Peter Chang, is South Africa Country Product Manager for American WiFi giants ASUS. He has highlighted the need to pay close attention to the security measures which are implemented when choosing a router/access points, especially considering the multi-client requirements of the modern enterprise WiFi networks.

Speaking to IT Web, Chang warned: “It is important when choosing your router to make sure it comes with software that prevents Ransomware, where you can have full control of Internet access for each device and you are able to block or allow Internet access based on a schedule, and assign a security level and parental controls for each device.”

The advice comes at a time when many of the world’s top businesses have come under the spotlight for cyber security breaches, underlining the vulnerability of organisations large and small. Last March, Deloitte, the Big Four management consultant, was compromised by a hacker who gained access to the firm’s email administrator account. A strain of Petya Ransomware also struck at the Ukrainian Central Bank and the Danish shipping company, Maersk, demanding Bitcoin payments in exchange for access to computers which were hacked within the organisations.

It all adds up to a concerning time for businesses determined to keep their data safe and their communications private. But all is not lost – there are plenty of ways in which businesses can take steps to protect their WiFi. These include; making sure their access points support multiple SSIDs; hiding their business SSIDs; and securing passwords through a strict password management scheme which applies to all members of the organisation including guests.

By keeping tighter security controls on their router, as well as taking other security measures as detailed above, businesses are able to secure their WiFi networks in 2018, and even open them up to public access in order to offer convenience to guests and potential customers.

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