Can Someone Hack My Home WiFi?

Yes, it is possible for someone to hack your home WiFi. This can occur if you have a weak WiFi password, if you fail to update your router’s software or through a method called Domain Name Server (DNS) hijacking. 

Continue reading to learn how your home WiFi can be compromised, the signs of a hacked WiFi router, the steps to take if you get hacked and effective measures to prevent your home WiFi from getting hacked.

How someone can hack your home WiFi

Here are three things that can make your home WiFi vulnerable to hackers. 

Having a weak admin password

Routers often come with a default admin password which can be found in the manual or on a sticker located on the bottom of the router. However, these default passwords are often weak and can be easily guessed by cybercriminals, making your network vulnerable to unauthorized access. It’s important to change the default admin password on your home WiFi to your own strong, unique password to prevent your router from being easily compromised. 

Exploiting unpatched software vulnerabilities

Hackers love to take advantage of your router’s software vulnerabilities because it makes it easier for them to hack or infect your router with malicious software, also known as malware. Therefore, it’s important to promptly update your router to the latest version of the software as soon as it becomes available. Software updates patch security flaws and add new security features that keep your router protected. 

Domain Name Server (DNS) hijacking

Domain Name Server (DNS) hijacking, also known as DNS redirection, is a type of cyber attack where attackers incorrectly resolve DNS requests so that it redirects users to malicious websites. To perform a DNS router hijack, attackers take advantage of routers with firmware vulnerabilities or weak passwords. Attackers will gain access to these routers and change their DNS settings to where the router uses a server that is controlled by them. Common signs of DNS hijacking include frequent pop-up ads appearing on websites, being redirected to different websites than intended or web pages loading slowly. 

Signs your home WiFi is hacked

Recognizing the early signs of a hacked WiFi router allows you to mitigate any further damage and minimize the impact of any unauthorized access. Here are four signs that could indicate your home WiFi is hacked.

Your browser keeps redirecting you

If your browser keeps redirecting you to a different website than intended, your WiFi may be hacked. For example, you may be trying to go on Amazon.com but your browser keeps redirecting you to a random website. Keep in mind the random websites that your browser redirects you to can be malicious, meaning if you click on something on the site, your device can potentially become infected with malware.

Your internet speed is slower than usual

While it is common for your internet speed to fluctuate for various reasons, one possible cause could be that your router has been hacked and unauthorized users are on your network. Since a slow internet speed can be caused by many different factors, make sure you confirm that your WiFi is hacked by looking out for the other signs.

Your WiFi password has been changed

If you are having trouble connecting to your WiFi with the correct password, it may be a sign that your WiFi password has been compromised and changed by a hacker. Hackers will purposely lock you out to prevent you from maintaining access and make it more difficult for you to detect their unauthorized activity.

There are unfamiliar devices connected to your WiFi

Another giveaway sign that your router may be hacked is seeing unfamiliar devices connected to your WiFi. You can tell if it’s an unknown device if the IP address does not match the first three numbers of your router’s private address. You can check this by accessing the router’s web interface or using a wireless network scanner.

What to do if your home WiFi is hacked

If you suspect that your WiFi has been hacked, taking immediate action is the most important thing you can do to mitigate the damage. Here are the four steps you should take to secure your network.

Disconnect and factory reset your router

The first step of action is disconnecting your router. This can be done by unplugging the cord from the outlet, shutting off the switch on the router’s power button or disabling the WiFi on the router’s administrative console. This is a critical step because it mitigates any further malicious impact by stopping any cyber attacks in progress and preventing the hacker from causing additional damage to your connected devices.

Next, perform a factory reset on your router to completely clear its memory and remove any malicious programs that may have been installed. To reset your router, locate the reset button on your router, hold the button for 15-30 seconds and wait until the LEDs flicker. Your router then will fully reset and power on, restoring it to its original state and providing a clean start to securing your network.

Change your WiFi’s admin password

After disconnecting and resetting your router, you should change your WiFi’s admin password, making sure it is strong and complex. A strong password contains at least 16 characters, a combination of numbers, special characters, uppercase and lowercase letters. Creating and remembering strong passwords can be difficult, but using a password manager like Keeper® can be a huge help. A password manager generates strong passwords and securely stores them in a personal digital vault that can only be accessed by you.

Use antivirus to scan your devices for malware

To be extra cautious, install antivirus software. Antivirus software constantly scans your device for known malware and viruses so it can prevent infection. If your router was hacked, the hacker may have successfully installed malware onto devices connected to your network. If this is the case, antivirus software can help detect and remove the malware. Plus, antivirus is always good to have because it provides ongoing protection with convenience.

Keep an eye out for suspicious activity

Lastly, it’s always a good practice to keep an eye out for any unusual activity. This includes any unfamiliar WiFi logins, which could indicate that an unauthorized user is accessing your network. Regularly review your router’s activity log and ensure that the connected devices are known, authorized users.

How to protect your home WiFi against hackers

It is important to adopt strong security measures to protect your home WiFi against hackers. Let’s look at the five ways you can do so.

Secure your network with a strong password

The most important thing is to use a strong password to secure your network because a weak password will leave you vulnerable to hackers. With easy-to-guess passwords, hackers use methods like brute force attacks to compromise your network within minutes. Consider using a password generator as it simplifies the process of creating strong passwords. It allows you to easily adjust the character length and the type of characters, ensuring that it meets any password requirements.

Change your WiFi’s network name

Service Set Identifier (SSID) is the default network name assigned to your router. Changing the name of the network can significantly reduce the risk of your WiFi being hacked. Hackers tend to target networks with the default SSIDs because they assume that these networks are less secure and can easily determine the Internet Service Provider (ISP) associated with them. Having a unique WiFi network name will make it more challenging for hackers to access your network.

Create a guest network

A guest network allows guests to access the internet using your router but it has no ties to your primary network connection. Having a guest network ensures that visitors can only connect to the internet and cannot access your personal network or devices. This eliminates the possibility of any guests compromising personal data and exposing your personal devices to malware. Even if your visitors don’t have malicious intentions, it’s important to be cautious because guests with weak cyber hygiene could still pose a risk.

Enable your router’s encryption

The purpose of WiFi encryption is to prevent cybercriminals from stealing data from you. When you encrypt your network, it scrambles the information sent over your network into an unreadable ciphertext, making it challenging for cybercriminals to intercept and read the data. It is suggested to invest in a router that supports WPA3 encryption protocol, or at the very least, WPA2, since these provide robust encryption. Consider upgrading your router if it does not at least support WPA2 as it’ll leave you vulnerable to cyber attacks.

Keep your router’s software up to date

Always keep your router’s software updated to the latest version, just like you would do for any device. These updates happen often and are especially important because they patch security flaws that create vulnerabilities to your routers. Simply put, software updates help enhance security by minimizing the window of potential hackers attacking your WiFi network. 

Protecting your home WiFi against hacking attempts

You should never have to worry about hackers invading your own home. Your home should be a place where you feel safe and protected. Securing your network plays a crucial role in maintaining that peace of mind. 

Keeping your network secure begins with proactive steps to enhance your security. Take your first step by installing Keeper Password Manager to help you generate and store strong WiFi passwords, protecting you from hackers while also providing convenient access to your passwords.