How to keep your digital life protected

Did you know that every 24 hours, electronic devices in your home see an average of 10 attacks? This was one of the shocking revelations from the 2024 IoT Security Landscape Report by global cybersecurity leader Bitdefender and NETGEAR, the leader in advanced networking technologies for homes and businesses.

With today's increasingly interconnected technology, everything that's part of the "Internet of Things" (IoT), including smart TVs, doorbells and appliances, can be vulnerable. The report found that in 2023, the most vulnerabilities were seen in smart TV sets (34%), smart plugs (18%), digital video recorders (13%) and routers (12%).

For many homeowners, vulnerability is increased by common practices that can weaken your system's defenses. A new NETGEAR Consumer Security Survey found that 65% of people use the same password across at least two online accounts, with over one in four (27%) using the same password over six accounts. In addition, one-quarter reported rarely or never changing their password after being notified of an account breach.

This finding is alarming, because threats can have a range of consequences. The survey also found that 1 in 10 people have had up to $5,000 stolen as part of a cybersecurity breach, and nearly 1 in 5 have had their personal data or identity stolen. In addition to losing money, breaches can damage credit ratings, as thieves may run up charges on existing accounts and open new accounts using personal information. Breaches can lead to years of paperwork, legal hassles and headaches trying to rebuild what was lost or stolen.

While these threats sound scary, there's good news: there are ways to keep your devices and personal data protected, starting with your home network. Here are a few best practices that can help.

Take Simple Steps

One of the easier things to do is setting a strong password for your router — typically this would be longer than six characters using a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. While these are important to include, there are a couple of practices to avoid, including using sequential numbers or commonly used passphrases.

Next, ensure the firmware for both your router and devices are up to date to maintain their security. Firmware is what keeps the internal hardware of your device running smoothly, including fixing or ‘patching’ an issue that could be a way in for a hacker. It’s important to note that a firmware update is different than your usual software updates — it’s often easiest to do a quick search online of the type of device and how to do a firmware update for it, as it can vary. Companies will periodically push out firmware updates with patches, so it’s important to check on this on an ongoing basis. That said, some outdated devices may not receive patches anymore. Because of this area of vulnerability, it's best to stop attacks at the router level.

Consider Additional Layers of Protection

The simple steps are easy and free to take. Most routers already come with built-in security protocols that you don’t need to enable; for example, NETGEAR routers come with advanced safety features and automatic firmware updates which work immediately once the device is set up. For those who would like additional peace of mind, NETGEAR Armor™ Powered by Bitdefender adds yet another layer of insurance, helping protect your family’s privacy and security, all in one place.

NETGEAR Armor will detect and block viruses, spyware, ransomware, malicious links and other internet scams before they even reach you. It will also block harmful ads or webpages that could contain malicious content. The VPN included with NETGEAR Armor specifically secures and encrypts your connection to the internet, so your online activity remains private, and your IP address hidden from hackers — which extends to your entire home network, and mobile devices even when you’re on-the-go. With this added protection across all your devices, you can use NETGEAR Armor to help cover it all.

Set up a Guest Network

Once you’ve ensured your router and connected devices are protected, it’s important to shield them from any new devices coming in. A guest network helps protect from any vulnerability a visiting friend or family member may introduce to your network. It also helps to limit access to your private password info. The way to set up a guest network depends on your internet service provider but is a simple process across the board.

“Cyber threats today are pervasive, but we are seeing that consumers are unfortunately not taking the necessary steps to protect themselves for a variety of reasons,” said David Henry, president and general manager of Connected Home Products, NETGEAR. “That said, network security is a simple way to change this. All NETGEAR routers include threat detection mechanisms, which help act as the first line of defense inside a person’s home, and Armor packs an extra punch for those that need it. Security should be a priority and NETGEAR can take on the heavy lifting.”

While cyber threats are abundant, you don't have to be an IT expert to protect your home. You can rely on comprehensive security solutions from NETGEAR to stay a step ahead and keep you safe. Read more about the steps NETGEAR is taking to keep your network protected.