STOP HACKERS SPYING ON YOUR FAMILY
Scan your home network for hidden security flaws
BitdefenderHome Scanner is a new free program that scans all the devices connected to your home network for vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit. It also suggests how best to secure these devices, thereby protecting your family from threats you’re probably unaware of. We’ll show you how to make the most of its features and explain how to keep all your connected devices safe from attack.
1To download the program, go to www.snipca. com/24648 and click the green Free Download button 1 . Open the downloaded setup file 2 , click Yes, tick the box if you want to send anonymous usage reports to Bitdefender (optional) 3 , then click Start Installation 4 . After it’s installed click Start Using Home Scanner. You need to create a free Bitdefender account, so enter your login details (name, email address and a password) in the fields provided, then click Create Account.
2When you open the program, it’ll ask you if you’re connected to your home network. Click ‘Yes, this is my home network’, then Confirm. The program will now run a scan to detect all the devices that are connected to your network. After a few minutes, you’ll see a list of these devices (including routers, PCS, phones, tablets, Smart TVS and so on) 1 Click Close 2 when you see the ‘Scan complete’ notification 3 .
3Some devices – if they are in sleep mode, for example – may not be detected during the initial scan. If some of your devices are missed, click Scan Network 1 . Repeat the process until all your home network devices have been detected. You’ll see one of two messages next to each listed device - Potentially At Risk 2 or No Risk Found 3 . Click any Potentially At Risk messages you see.
4You’ll now see two tabs – ‘Device details’ 1 and Vulnerabilities 2 . ‘Device details’ displays your device’s IP address 3 , manufacturer 4 and device type. Click the Vulnerabilities tab to see a list of detected vulnerabilities along with their risk rating (Low, Medium or High). Click the first item in the list.
5Most vulnerabilities are due to a device not being updated. To update your Windows 10 PC to the latest version, open Settings, click ‘Update & security’, then click ‘Check for updates’ 1 . You may need to restart your PC after the update. To update your Android device, go to Settings, ‘About phone/tablet’, ‘System update’ and restart your device if necessary. Similarly, on IOS devices, go to Settings, General, then Software Update and follow the prompts. To update other devices on your network (routers, Smart TVS, etc.) refer to its manual.
6Here, you’ll see how to fix your device’s vulnerability and what can happen if you leave it unfixed 2 (in our case, we were advised to update our router because it was susceptible to hackers). Solutions can include updating your device, securing it with a password, creating a more secure password, uninstalling an unsafe program or updating your antivirus program. When you’ve carried out the fix, go back and fix the other detected vulnerabilities in the same way.
7The program also keeps a log of all devices that connect to your network. Click the notifications icon 1 to see these 2 and when they connected (at the top right). Click the dropdown menu, then click Device Details 3 to see more information. Next, click Scan Device to check that device for any vulnerabilities. The ‘Account info’ icon 4 lets you change your home network and the questionmark icon 5 opens the program’s website from where you can download a free user guide and read FAQS. ●