In recent months, the telecommunications industry has seen a steady growth in viruses, hacker and phishing attempts, specifically in North America.
As internet service providers, we work constantly to fight all attempts on our networks, but there are things you can also do at home to keep personal devices and home networks safe.
With the help of our WaveDirect network specialists, check out our top suggestions to help you keep your own personal connection safe.
What can you do to help protect your home?
Regular Virus Protection Scans
💻 Running regular virus scans with an antivirus program on your computer is a simple way to make sure your devices are free from any harmful malware. All devices are vulnerable to attacks and many computer manufacturers include firewall protection, but these are some of our favourite additional programs: McAfee Total Protection, Norton 360, Bitdefender Antivirus Plus.
💪 For an extra layer of security, we also recommend using a free program called Malwarebytes. This program is highly effective at detecting programs that antivirus programs may miss.
💡HELPFUL TIP: If you are a WaveDirect internet customer and use this program, you can send us your Malwarebytes scan logs to help our networks team determine if you are at risk for reinfection and advise a course of action. Email your logs to us here: support@wavedirect.org
Avoid Phishing Scams
Phishing is a form of online attack that encourages those targeted to reveal personal information, like credit card information or passwords.
📩 Be critical of unknown emails or messages to your computer or smartphone with attachments asking you to click links or input personal information. Oftentimes these messages are designed to get you to connect to a website that will infect your device and network.
How do you spot a phishing scam?
If you’re ever concerned that a business you know and trust is emailing or texting you asking to act on something, give them a call and they will verify if a message is legitimate or not.
Keep your devices up to date
📶 If you own your own WiFi router, make sure you are updating it to the latest firmware. Manufacturers often include security patches in firmware updates which address the latest known malware concerns. If you’re unsure how to do this, check your router’s manufacturer website and instructions, or give our tech support team a call to assist you.
😃 Consider signing up for our Total Home Coverage managed WiFi program. Let us keep your router up to date, and of course, secure! Visit our support page to learn more about our routers.
