Mitigating the Risk of Business WiFi

Date posted: 6 April 2022 – Category: Wi-Fi Services

Any modern business is likely to be reliant on its WiFi network, which provides access to both cloud-based workloads and internet browsing to any connected device. WiFi allows businesses and their employees to enjoy greater flexibility as to how and where they work and is particularly useful for those wanting to create a more agile working environment. For some organisations, WiFi is also an important tool for any visitors to the premises.

Yet, as with any internet connection, having WiFi for your business can leave it exposed to significant security risks.

The good news is that you don’t need to spend huge amounts of money or be an IT whizz to help reduce these dangers. Read on to discover the major threats to security posed by business WiFi, and how to mitigate them.

Your Network Name

The name of your business network matters when it comes to keeping it protected from hackers. Rather than leaving your SSID (Service Set Identifier) as the default name it came with, be sure to change it to one which doesn’t include details of your model of router. Not only will changing the name of your network help to ensure your business immediately appears more professional to visiting users, but by leaving out router information such as NetGear or Linksys, it will make it harder for would-be hackers to look up the information needed to help them hack it. After all, it’s what people will see when scanning to connect their device to your WiFi, and setting the name to that of your company will also make it easier for legitimate users.

Poor Choice Of Router Location

When it comes to your router, its location can also have an impact on security. If your router is kept in a place where just about anybody could access it, then you are putting your business at risk. After all, it could just take a moment for a bad actor to simply reset your router, causing significant security issues. Avoid this by keeping your router locked away, and consider running CCTV on it for extra peace of mind.

No Separate Access To Network

If your business WiFi is regularly used by guests and employees alike, then having just one network is simply not going to be secure enough. Instead, set up two networks with different access permissions, with a public network for use by visitors or customers, and a private network that is exclusively for use by staff. It’s easy to separate network traffic by using an SSID and helps to ensure that data and other sensitive information is kept out of bounds from casual users.

Rogue Access Points

It’s also important to check that there aren’t any unauthorised or “rogue” access points set up anywhere in your workplace. Whilst these may have been created without any malicious intent (for example, to improve connectivity to the network from an isolated area of the premises), their existence can pose a threat to your business if these APs fail to meet up to the security configuration standards of the rest of your network points. Running regular scans allows you to be sure that your business WiFi network is free of these rogue APs.

Insufficient Use Of Firewalls

Most people know that a firewall is a key element in keeping your network safe, but all too often, there is little awareness of the benefits of doubling up. As well as maintaining up-to-date installations of firewalls to your desktops and laptops, be sure to activate the firewall protection that comes with your router. Often called SPI (Stateful Packet Inspection) or NAT (Network Address Translation), this built-in security should be activated and enabled in order to fully protect your WiFi network.

Outdated Firmware and Software

In addition to keeping your firewalls up-to-date, it’s crucial to stay on top of any necessary updates or upgrades to your firmware and software. With new cyber threats emerging all of the time, the companies producing these products will be working to stay ahead of the dangers, by publishing updates and patches to mitigate any weak spots in them. Get the best from your cyber security investments by being sure to install any updates or patches straight away. You can even opt for dedicated management software which can do this essential task for you automatically.