Why Your Router Is A Security Risk & How To Fix It
The introduction of the home router was a great advancement in security for many owners. Before routers, most PC users relied only on a software firewall or, more often than not, ran no firewall at all. Routers with built-in firewalls have generally been a very good thing.
An item that provides safety can also lead to a false sense of security, however, and leave users vulnerable when attacks that they thought impossible occur. Routers are no different. They can be difficult to set up and often require updates to patch exploits discovered after release. Here’s what you must do to make your router is a boon instead of a burden.
All modern WiFi routers provide a variety of encryption choices that are used to make traffic unintelligible to anyone trying to sniff packets out of the air. At a basic level all forms of encryption work, but some work better than others, and routers are lamentably silent when it comes to providing advice. Many routers list the oldest and least secure option, WEP, at the top of the list – so users often select it.
