5 Tips to Protect your Network from Hackers When Staying at Home
Article by Jane Li, Mercury Insurance Director
(BPT) - Being home 100% of the time has become the new norm for many Americans, as social distancing is implemented in communities across the country to slow the rapidly spreading COVID-19 pandemic. Connected devices are being used virtually nonstop, as the homebound stream shows to binge watch and video chat with friends to help pass the time. Unfortunately, most residential computing networks aren't regularly maintained and monitored to protect against security breaches. This presents hackers with a virtual playground of which to take advantage.
"Cybercriminals are continuously looking for ways to exploit computer system vulnerabilities and home networks are popular targets because so many of our devices - phones, TVs, computers, even appliances - are connected to them," said Jane Li, Mercury Insurance director of product management. "Insurance companies like Mercury provide solutions to help financially protect homeowners and renters if they fall victim to a cyberattack. There are also steps they can take ahead of time to help prevent one from happening in the first place."
"Wireless routers that are issued by cable providers are typically assigned a network name and password that's easily located on a label on the device itself. These can be changed using your online account, so do this as soon as possible for added security."