Hackers know where home and remote workers are vulnerable, and will exploit this knowledge now that over 25 Million people are working from home in the UK.
Our home networks are pretty similar really and so is what we have done to them .. or not done to them.
N.B. Figure 1 above – this is a sophisticated network. Yours will be much simpler. 1 Router. No Firewalls ( probably ). WiFi will come from your one router. There will be many more devices – yours and your families. You will all be on one network.
Also similar is our level of knowledge of cyber security.
We all have broadband internet connectivity. Perhaps from BT, Virgin, Sky, Vodafone etc.
We might have a 3G/4G/5G connection instead or as well.
We all have a router with WiFi probably.
Very few people will have a firewall installed and properly configured.
Most of us will have antivirus installed on our PC’s/Laptops etc, however we may not realise that one antivirus may be not enough.
We will think we have, typically, 5-10 devices connecting to our networks. However we will not have taken into account things like wireless speakers, Alexa type devices, IP camera’s, Burglar Alarms, Energy Monitoring devices and other Internet of Things devices. We have seen as many as 60/70 devices in some homes ( admittedly a ” Techies ” house ).
Our software applications will not be patched to the latest levels.
For Cyber Essentials 5 Controls standard GCHQ/NCSC says that if you pay attention to the 5 control areas you can stop 80% of cyber attacks.
You will note the same areas mentioned.
Relatively simple things can make a big difference …
Like ..
- changing the password to something strong on your router
- adding another Anti Virus like Malwarebytes ( used by many IT professionals )
- Keeping your applications up to the latest patch levels
This document expands on and explains this
https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/files/Cyber-Essentials-Requirements-for-IT-infrastructure.pdf
and this booklet
https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/files/Cyber-Essentials-A5-Booklet.pdf
and this great list of infographics
https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/information/infographics-ncsc
Firewall Configuration
Check out this great Linkedin Article about Firewalls from Chani Simms Top 50 Most Influential Women in Cyber Security.
Other articles from Chani here.
