Let's face it, most small to medium-size businesses don't spend a lot of time and resources on ensuring their office's WiFi routers are as safe as they can be. In fact, many of the businesses we come in contact with don't use much more than consumer-grade WiFi routers for their employees and guests.
You might ask why is that such a big deal? The answer is simple. Consumer-grade WiFi routers have huge security vulnerabilities that could expose your company's data to cybercriminals.
According to one recent study out of Germany, WiFi router vendors have failed to fix hundreds of vulnerabilities in their consumer-grade technology, leaving users exposed to a wide range of attacks. This study tested 127 routers spanning seven large vendors and found security flaws in all of them. The study called these results “alarming.”
Even the best devices had at least 21 critical vulnerabilities and at least 348 rated with high severity, the study found.
What makes the results even more distressing is that with the Coronavirus pandemic so many more people are now working from home. That means many more people could be exchanging sensitive data with their employers via these vulnerable devices.
What You Can Do
One immediate step all business owners should take is to ensure all security updates and patches have been installed on your WiFi router. If your router is not set to automatically update, you'll have to do this manually. The directions for this can normally be found in your router's instruction manual or online.
If you have many employees currently working from home, you may also wish to encourage them to update their routers.
If you feel like handling this process is beyond your capabilities, it may be time to discuss a good cybersecurity plan of action with BKS Systems. We have over 20 years of experience in protecting business just like yours from the threat of cyberattacks. Contact us today for more information or to speak to one of our qualified IT experts.
