As the number of homes with broadband and multiple PCs increases, so do the
number of small, generally insecure networks. These little pockets of
high-speed connected systems are ripe targets for hackers and viruses looking
for vectors to launch attacks from. While a few years ago, home networks
were the realm of the geeky, the sort of people who had somewhat of a clue as to
what they were doing, today anyone can walk into a Wal-Mart and buy a wireless
router for $50 and suddenly their entire home is networked! However, while
it's easy to setup, it's not so easy to secure, and most people never take the
time to ensure the safety of their home network.
Your information is only as safe as the weakest link in the chain. It's
much easier for someone to steal your credit card information from your home PC
than it is for them to break into your bank's online system.
InformationWeek has an 8 step guide to securing a small size network.
They create a fictional network of 4-8 PCs, some wired, some wireless spread
over a 600 square foot area. The principles outlined in the article though
will work to secure any size network, large or small.