Did you know that home network devices see an average of 10 attacks during the span of 24 hours? As our homes are increasingly connected to the internet, every new device opens another gateway for hackers. Routers are among the most critical devices in your home cybersecurity arsenal, and yet, they’re often overlooked beyond the very basic upkeep.
I spoke to TP-Link Systems Inc. experts to find out how to keep your home network safe, and these are the best 5 ways to do it, alongside other useful tips every internet user should be aware of.
Home networks are more at risk than you think
It doesn’t matter if you use one of the best routers available. If it’s compromised (and they all can be), every single device connected to your network can be in danger, from PCs to things like a smart plug or a home security camera. And, as our homes get smarter and our routers handle more and more connections, threat actors — or simply put, hackers — are always coming up with new ways to attack.
A recent report from Netgear and Bitdefender found that there’s a shocking number of threats being blocked every single minute. Bitdefender alone blocks an average of 2.5 million threats over a 24-hour window, which means 1,736 threats per minute. Meanwhile, the highest number of vulnerabilities in 2023 was discovered in devices many of us own, with TVs leading the way (34%), followed by smart plugs (18%), digital video recorders (13%), and finally, routers (12%).
According to a SonicWall report, Internet of Things (IoT) spiked 107% in the first half of 2024.
I had the opportunity to speak to TP-Link Systems Inc. (which I might at times call TP-Link for ease) about the matter of home router security.
“TP-Link recognizes that home networks are integral to smart devices, and, as such, IoT security must be a top priority without compromising ease of use. No one company can fully secure the IoT ecosystem on its own,” says a TP-Link Systems cybersecurity expert. The company makes it clear that it’s important for us all to stay vigilant, too. “Consumers worried about home network security should definitely be proactive about safeguarding their digital environments.”
5 ways to protect your home network from hackers
I asked TP-Link about the best ways to keep your home router secure. Here’s what I learned.
1. Keep firmware and software up to date
This might seem like an obvious one, but it’s definitely something a lot of us overlook. Routers, like many other internet-connected devices, receive updates from time to time. In the case of routers, these updates are especially critical, as they often contain fixes to known cybersecurity threats.
TP-Link underscored just how important these updates are throughout our conversation, saying: “It’s important to regularly check for and install software and firmware updates for home networking equipment, as these updates often contain critical security patches that protect against newly discovered vulnerabilities.”
It might not seem like a big deal, but it turns out that a lot of issues get patched — it’s just that not everyone downloads the updates. “The most common and widespread attacks against home networking equipment specifically target known vulnerabilities that already have patches available, making it especially crucial to keep your software and firmware current to safeguard against these preventable threats,” TP-Link warned.
When asked how to update the firmware of a router, many people would have no idea where to start. If that’s where you’re at, I don’t blame you. It’s not exactly common knowledge. Fortunately, you might not even need to do anything to stay safe.
TP-Link Systems says: “The good news is that many modern software applications (including many TP-Link routers) automatically check for and install updates and can be configured to perform the updates at times that are least impactful to your schedule.”
In the event that your router doesn’t automatically source and install firmware updates, the path is a little less straightforward.
Start by logging into your router’s admin panel by typing 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 into a browser window. Your router should have a label with default credentials if you haven’t changed them. Once you’re in, search for the current firmware version, take note of the exact model of your router, and head to the manufacturer’s website to download the update.
2. Change default admin passwords
Speaking of passwords … have you changed yours lately? No? Then you should. One of the leading causes of various attacks on home routers is the fact that many people just use their default passwords indefinitely, making it very easy for threat actors to attack them.
TP-Link Systems shared some tips on keeping your router’s password secure. In all fairness, these tips apply to pretty much every account and device you own, so I recommend following them for the ultimate internet security.
First of all, make sure your passwords are strong, unique, and contain a mix of lower and upper-case letters, symbols, and numbers. Do not reuse passwords across multiple accounts; that’s just asking for trouble if your password ever gets leaked, or should I say, “pwned.” The term comes from Have I Been Pwned, which is a popular tool that lets you check if your credentials have been leaked anywhere.
TP-Link adds to this: “Pay special attention to your router’s default administrator password. Changing it reduces the risk of attacks exploiting default credentials, helping to protect your network from unauthorized access. This practice should extend beyond your home router; always change default passwords on any device or software.”
3. Use antivirus software
Many hold the belief that antivirus software is unnecessary now that our devices are more fit to face the dangers of the internet, but that’s not a universal truth. Hackers keep finding new ways to break into people’s PCs, steal their data, or even their money — so using one of the best antivirus programs is still very much recommended.
TP-Link refers to this as “endpoint protection.” An endpoint is essentially any device that connects to a network, but the term “endpoint protection” really covers more than just antivirus software. It includes tools for things like:
- Malware detection and removal
- Firewall management
- Ransomware protection
- Behavior-based threat detection
- Data encryption
TP-Link Systems’ representative clarifies: “Endpoint protection can automatically identify, quarantine, and eliminate malware, including viruses, worms, and ransomware. Most endpoint protection solutions are simple to install and user-friendly and may already be built into your desktop operating system (e.g., Windows Defender).”
4. Set up and configure your firewall
A firewall may seem like a nuisance at times if it ends up blocking the wrong thing, but believe the experts if you don’t believe me — it can really help. TP-Link stressed the importance of using a firewall to protect your home network.
“Set up a firewall at the edge of your home network to protect against external threats. A firewall blocks malicious traffic from entering your network and can alert you to suspicious activities. When properly configured, it also helps contain internal threats by preventing unwanted or harmful software from connecting to the internet,” advises the network giant.
The simplest firewall to use is the one built into your operating system, such as Windows 11 or macOS. Make sure that it’s enabled and make exceptions if you must, but on the whole, keep it on.
TP-Link says that most routers will have some protection of their own, too: “Most modern wireless routers come equipped with a configurable, built-in firewall offering features like access controls, web filtering, and denial-of-service (DoS) protection, which can be customized to suit your needs. If your router has these enhanced features, you should take advantage of them.”
5. Get rid of unused software and devices
It might seem that leaving something that you’re no longer using is harmless, but that’s not true. As devices and software age and go for longer periods of time without any updates, they become more vulnerable to attacks over time.
“Disable unnecessary services and remove unused software to significantly reduce the attack surface of your devices and network. Unused or unwanted services often create vulnerabilities that malicious actors can exploit,” explains TP-Link.
Strangely enough, this might be more relevant to you if you have one of the best laptops — or overall, a recent PC. It’s a fairly new practice, but prebuilts, laptops, and mobile devices often come with pre-installed software that you might not want to use; that stuff can be dangerous if left alone, as per TP-Link.
“This is particularly relevant for new computer systems, which frequently come with pre-installed trial software and applications that may not be useful to you. Eliminating these reduces potential security risks and improves system performance.”
How can you tell if your router has been compromised?
Even with all the protections in place, it’s still not impossible for your router to get hacked. This isn’t just a TP-Link thing — some cybersecurity experts admit that there might not be such a thing as a device that’s 100% impossible to hack, or a network that’s 100% impossible to breach.
However, if your home network gets breached, it’s not like it’ll all go up in flames. The signs are more subtle, but they’re definitely there.
I asked TP-Link to clarify what the top signs of a home router being targeted by hackers or otherwise compromised are, and the company gave me some helpful tips. First of all, the representative emphasized that yes, we should be worried about the possibility of our routers being hacked.
Why does it matter? Because your router is the gateway to every other connected device on your home network. While the router itself might not contain your private data, your PC, smartphone, and other devices certainly do.
“A compromised router can expose personal and professional data, allow unauthorized access to devices, and even serve as a launch point for further attacks,” says TP-Link.
So, what are these signs to watch out for? An obvious one is internet speed; if your internet is slow and your provider isn’t the problem, your router might be, and the reason behind that is quite sinister: “This can occur because attackers might be using the router to carry out tasks such as participating in botnet activities, launching Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, or siphoning bandwidth for illicit purposes.”
Weird network activity is another tell-tale sign. This includes things like unknown devices appearing on your home network or excessive data usage without any explanation. The cause could be that hackers might have tinkered with your router’s settings, such as changing its DNS configuration to intercept your data.
There’s also DNS hijacking, and the way TP-Link describes it, it does not sound fun. (I’ve definitely known a few people affected by this before, so it could be fairly widespread.)
TP-Link has this to say about DNS hijacking: “Additionally, users may notice they are being redirected to suspicious or unfamiliar websites when attempting to visit legitimate ones. This is a potential sign that attackers have tampered with the router’s DNS settings. This tactic allows threat actors to manipulate internet traffic, potentially leading users to phishing sites designed to steal personal information, such as login credentials or financial details.”
The good news is that following the above guidelines will go a long way in keeping your home router safe. Even if you can never be fully sure, staying vigilant will already put you far ahead of the curve and (hopefully) out of harm’s way.
