Change that default password on your IoT Devices, Firewalls and Modems
Since we’re talking about IoT (Internet of Things) devices and we continually harp on the importance of cybersecurity it seems appropriate to provide this reminder / tip. Just a few weeks ago I visited a prospective customer and found the default password set for the Internet modem. It’s not uncommon, so don’t feel bad if you haven’t updated your devices. Many manufacturer’s don’t prompt you to make that change like they should!
However, in today’s world of growing devices that connect to your network (some wired and some wireless) the likelihood / risk of a device getting hacked is growing rapidly. The scary part is we have no idea what vulnerability will be discovered or how damaging it might be. One simple thing you can do is to change the default login and password to your devices to a secure login. What devices am I referring to? All of them! Your Internet Modem / Firewall, your dedicated firewall if you have one, every device you have in your home or office including WiFi / Wireless Administration, Alexa, Google Home, Light bulbs, Sump Pump monitors (yes, I have one of those), toasters, refrigerators, everything. If you connected it to your network there is probably an administrative login and that should be changed. And as a reminder, your Wireless Network key to get on to your network should be a secure key and should be changed periodically. If someone gets onto your network they now have physical access to every device on the network and can start trying those default passwords to see if they can access your devices. And, if it’s your business network they’ve managed to connect to they can start looking for access onto local computers, servers, network storage devices and connections to other business networks.
If you’re wondering how you’re going to keep track of all of these secure passwords you’re creating take a look at our article on password management and multi-factor authentication (MFA).
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