Remember when you could create a simple password for your WiFi and feel invincible? Those days are long gone. As we’ve all come to learn, whether through our own experiences or the misfortune of others, securing your business WiFi network takes a lot more than an alphanumeric token.
Creating and maintaining a secure environment for your data is more important than ever. As cybercriminals develop workarounds to previous deterrents, it’s crucial to stay on top of new tools to protect valuable employee and customer information, prevent unauthorized users from accessing your network data, and maintain regulatory compliance.
If you haven’t checked on your business WiFi security in a while, it’s time to run through this checklist to make sure the information you're storing is safe from bad actors.
Enable encryption
You may already be familiar with WPA or WPA2, two long-running security protocols for WiFi. The acronym means WiFi Protected Access, and your home WiFi likely uses one of them. But the latest iteration, WPA3, carries even more data protections, like stronger protections against brute-force password attacks and more encryption for enterprise networks.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
MFA is a login verification method that requires employees to prove beyond a password that they should be granted access to a system, and it’s very effective at confirming identity. Requiring users to log into your network with MFA can keep bad actors from accessing your company’s sensitive data. (Learn more about MFA here.)
Segment your network
There are several ways to segment your network, but the general idea is to isolate your sensitive data and put more barriers with more protection between it and potential threat actors. A common use case is a guest WiFi login to keep non-employees away from proprietary information, but you can—and should—pursue a more complex network setup.
Stay current with protections
If you’ve ever lapsed on your antivirus protections, your provider will push notifications to you until you act. And while those pop-ups are annoying, their frequency should tell you how important it is to keep those firmware, operating system and antivirus licenses up to date. Cybercriminals are constantly evolving, and it takes a proactive effort to stay ahead of them.
Control access to the router
It sounds simple, and it is—if your routers and network equipment are in an unlocked or unattended closet or cabinet, they are more susceptible to breaches by anyone with some IT knowledge and bad intentions. Stay safe by locking it up and limiting access to a tight circle of trusted employees.
