Wi-Fi Mesh systems are widely used to improve wireless coverage in our home. They are used to carry the signal to other areas where the router does not have capacity by itself. However, beyond being very useful to improve coverage, could they harm the security and privacy of users? We talk about it in this article.
A Wi-Fi Mesh system can affect security and privacy
When we use any device connected to the network we could be exposing personal information and data . After all, any device with a connection could be a target for hackers, to carry out some kind of attack with the mission of infecting us.
A Wi-Fi Mesh system is one of these options that we have in our home connected to the network. It can be several devices that connect to each other, in addition to the router and other computers that have Internet access. You can see our experience with the ASUS ZenWiFi AX Mini XD4 and a total of 5 nodes.
Many of these newer systems also have a cloud component . This is useful for administrators to remotely manage them. Now, in case there is any vulnerability, that the device is exposed in some way, it could serve as a gateway to attackers. They could use the Wi-Fi Mesh system to compromise the network.
But this problem is multiplied, since we could have a satellite in different rooms of the home. There will be several devices that could offer information to possible intruders of the use we make on the network. For example, see what devices we have connected, what time, from where …
Many users choose precisely this type of device that can be managed remotely due to the fact that technicians can solve problems without having to go physically.
Data they could get with these devices
What data could they get from us if it was leaked through a Wi-Fi Mesh system? We can mention information such as signal strength , data transfer rates, connected equipment, visited sites, how long we have been connected, as well as other very diverse metrics.
In short, they could obtain information related to the use we give to this type of device that has been designed to improve our wireless coverage at home, although they are also widely used in work environments.
Keep in mind that we can protect this equipment . It is essential to have a password that is strong and complex. We need to have a key that has letters (upper and lower case), numbers and other special symbols. All this in a random way to ensure that intruders do not access easily.
It will also be very important to keep them updated. Sometimes vulnerabilities can emerge that are exploited by hackers to carry out their attacks. We must always have the latest versions to avoid security flaws, but also achieve performance improvements so that the speed and quality of the signal are the best possible.
In short, Wi-Fi Mesh systems are very interesting to improve wireless coverage in our home, but we must also bear in mind that it can be a problem for security and privacy. You can see our list with the best Wi-Fi Mesh systems.
