If you have a home network, you may be exposed to various cyber threats that can compromise your data, devices, and privacy. In this article, we will describe some of the most common cyber threats that affect home networks.

Malware is any malicious software that can infect your computer or device and perform unwanted actions, such as stealing your data, encrypting your files, spying on your activities, or damaging your system.

In 2021, the “largest share of attacks on mobile users belonged to malware (80.69%)”, which was a significant drop from the previous year.

However, malware is still a major threat, especially for home networks that may lack proper security measures. Some of the most prevalent malware types include trojans, worms, viruses, rootkits, and spyware.

Phishing continues to be a preferred tool of choice for most cyber criminals. It is reported that there has been an “upward trend in mobile phishing over the last 15 months”.

Phishing is a type of social engineering attack that involves sending fraudulent emails or messages that appear to come from legitimate sources, such as banks, online services, or government agencies.

The goal of phishing is to trick you into clicking on malicious links or attachments, or providing your personal or financial information.

Phishing can target anyone with an email address or a phone number, and can lead to identity theft, fraud, or ransomware infections.

The number of ransomware attacks continues to rise, with an increase of 13% year-over-year in 2022, a growth as large as the previous five years combined.

Malicious actors use ransomware to encrypt your files or lock your device and demand a ransom in return for access. Such attacks can cause significant damage and disruption to your data and operations, and there is no guarantee that paying the ransom will restore your access.

Ransomware attacks can target both individuals and organizations, and can be delivered via phishing emails, malicious downloads, or remote access tools.

Adware is a type of software that displays unwanted or intrusive advertisements on your computer or device. In recent years, the share of adware-based attacks has been on a rapid growth: from 14.62% in 2020 to 16.92% in 2021.

These types of attacks can affect your browsing experience, consume your bandwidth and resources, and expose you to malicious content or scams.

Adware can also collect your browsing habits and personal information and sell them to third parties. Adware can be installed on your device by downloading free software, visiting malicious websites, or clicking on pop-up ads.

Botnets are networks of compromised computers or devices that are controlled by hackers or cybercriminals.

Botnets can be used to perform various malicious activities, such as sending spam emails, launching distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, stealing data, mining cryptocurrencies, or spreading malware.

Botnets can infect your device by exploiting vulnerabilities in your software or hardware, or by tricking you into installing malicious applications.

DDoS stands for distributed denial-of-service, which is a type of attack that aims to overwhelm a website or a service with a large amount of traffic from multiple sources.

DDoS attacks can cause slowdowns, crashes, or outages for the targeted website or service, affecting its availability and functionality.

DDoS attacks can target any online service that relies on network connectivity, such as gaming platforms, e-commerce sites, or social media platforms.

Due to crypto’s growing popularity in recent years, illegal crypto mining has increased, and home networks are increasingly becoming a target for such activities.

The majority of malicious activities detected in home networks in 2017 involved cryptocurrency mining.

Cryptocurrency mining is a process of using computer resources to generate digital currencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Dogecoin.

While some people do this voluntarily to earn money, others may use malicious software to hijack your devices and use them for mining without your consent.

This can slow down your devices, increase your electricity bill, and expose you to other security risks.

TELNET default password login is another threat that can compromise your home network. TELNET is a protocol that allows you to remotely access and control other devices over a network.

However, TELNET is not secure because it sends usernames and passwords in plain text, which can be easily intercepted by hackers.

Moreover, some devices may have default passwords that are weak or well-known, which can give hackers easy access to your home network.

These are some of the common types of cyber threats that can affect home networks. However, there are many other types of cyber threats that can emerge as technology evolves and hackers become more sophisticated. Therefore, it is important for home network users to be aware of the risks and take preventive measures to protect their networks and devices from cyber threats.