Many people think data encryption is something used only by the military and large organizations, but this isn’t true at all. In fact, you’ve already used encryption today if you’re reading this article over WiFi. Encryption is an essential part of home networks these days and is an invaluable tool to safeguard your network from hackers. And with so many security threats out there, gaining a clear understanding of encryption is more important than ever.
Let’s learn a bit more about what encryption is and why you need it. Then we’ll walk through how you can up your encryption game to ensure ultimate protection for your family!
What is encryption?
Encryption is a rabbit hole of a topic. You could read entire textbooks about one aspect of the subject alone and still have years to go before you even scratched the surface of its true capabilities. But luckily, to protect your home network, you only need to know the basics.
In simple terms, encryption is the process of taking the regular text you input into your computer (also known as “plaintext”) and converting it to “ciphertext,” which is unreadable to humans. A cryptographic key is used to scramble (and subsequently decode) the text, safeguarding it from cybercriminals and preventing common cybersecurity incidents.
How can data encryption protect you and your family?
By using basic encryption methods on your phone or computer, you can send secure messages to friends and family and greatly reduce the chances of your conversations being intercepted by cybercriminals. Encrypting your messages makes you far less likely to fall victim to Man in the Middle Attacks. These attacks involve a third-party gaining access to poorly secured data and spying on a conversation—or even an entire network—without the victims’ knowledge.
If you or someone in your family works from home or even attends online classes, encryption is a security game-changer. The sensitive data you send back and forth to your school or place of work will be much safer. And you won’t have to worry about any unwanted outside parties spying on your private business.
And if you enjoy browsing for your next big purchase from the comfort of your couch, encryption can even protect you while you shop online!
How can you start encrypting your data and protecting your home network today?
Now that you’ve learned a bit about how encryption can safeguard your network and protect you from common threats, here are some ways you can take action and implement an extra layer of safety today!
Secure your WiFi
Securing your WiFi is an excellent way to ensure all your favorite devices are safe from prying eyes. There are many basic steps you can take towards securing your WiFi network, such as creating a guest network for visitors or hiding your network from prowling devices. However, WPA2/WPA3 encryption is the best method of encrypting all the traffic coming through your home network. It can bring you instant peace of mind and cast an impenetrable net of security over all your devices.
360 WiFi
Before you get intimidated by technical terms, don’t worry. Our 360 WiFi comes built-in with state-of-the-art WPA3 encryption! Aside from creating a convenient mesh network that casts throughout your house and powers everything from vulnerable IoT devices to fortified gaming machines, our 360 WiFi runs on WiFi 6, which means you get WPA3 encryption—the highest grade available for home use in our time—straight out of the box.
So without even going down the rabbit hole of intricacies surrounding the many types of encryption, know you’re in good hands with 360 WiFi from Quantum Fiber.
Use a VPN
If you’ve tried everything else and still want an extra shield preventing wannabe threat actors—and actual threats—from forcing their way onto your network, it’s time to think about getting a VPN.
VPNs block threats from penetrating your network by exchanging a private key with your computer, decreasing your chances of Man in the Middle attacks and other unwanted interceptions. Even your ISP won’t be able to spy on your personal business when you have one activated! They’re another great example of how encryption can defend your privacy and promote a safe, free cyber world for everyone.
What is encryption? Your ticket to privacy and digital freedom!
Now that you’re up to speed on encryption basics, it’s time to decide which method is best for you and your family. As you can see, you have plenty of choices. But encrypting your data is easier than ever with Quantum Fiber. To stay up to date on ways to mitigate all the latest security threats and learn more about our awesome products like 360 WiFi, follow our blog today!
