Start the Year Securely With These Home Cybersecurity Products

With another year underway, now is the perfect time to make strategic changes to protect your home against cyberattacks. The parties who orchestrate them look for ways to make their efforts maximally devastating for those experiencing them. They use new tactics that are increasingly harder to spot, meaning today’s households must stay alert for emerging attack methods while being proactive by purchasing purposeful home cybersecurity products. 

The Personal Cybersecurity Manual: How Anyone Can Protect Themselves from Fraud, Identity Theft, and Other Cybercrimes Book

Cybersecurity can be a polarizing issue. Some people are so disengaged from the matter that they don’t bother with it at all, beyond, perhaps, whatever their workplaces require that they do. Others believe cybercriminals won’t specifically attack them, so there’s no need to worry about it. Another group thinks there’s no point in defending themselves because cybercriminals will always have the upper hand. 

However, it’s far better to find a middle ground. Although you shouldn’t be unnecessarily fearful and think cyberattacks will strike you at any moment, failing to recognize them and take preventive measures certainly makes you an easier target. Households aren’t alone in their less-than-stringent attempts to stay safer from cyberattacks. Federal data about ransomware in the United States indicated there were nearly 1,200 such incidents on entities managing critical infrastructure in 2023.

The best cybersecurity products will be far more useful in your household if you understand the principles underpinning them. The Personal Cybersecurity Manual: How Anyone Can Protect Themselves from Fraud, Identity Theft, and Other Cybercrimes book is an excellent addition to your bookshelf. It discusses numerous pertinent topics — from identity theft to phishing — and introduces them in easy-to-understand language. 

Many people use the internet daily for work and pleasure but don’t understand how cyberattacks work and why they happen. If you count yourself in that group, add this title to your bookshelf and look forward to working through each chapter in your spare time. 

Marma Security SafeHome

Some people believe that the best cybersecurity products are those that work without them having to think about it. If you agree, SafeHome is worth a look. This product from Marma Security is a wireless solution that offers enterprise-grade security for people’s homes.

Users do not need IT or cybersecurity knowledge to make it functional it because doing so is as straightforward as connecting to a Wi-Fi network. The product works by blocking potential cybersecurity threats before they can affect anyone connected to the internet in your residence. 

Setup takes minutes, and there is no need to change your existing connectivity infrastructure.

Once SafeHome is operational, it has several artificial intelligence-powered capabilities, including protection against malicious websites, ransomware and phishing attacks. 

Something else that puts this item among the home cybersecurity products of note is that people use it with up to 64 devices. That generous number aligns with how many households stay connected throughout the day, whether working from home, enjoying their downtime or entertaining guests with smart home products. 

ESET Home Security Premium

No list of home security products would be complete without an antivirus product. Indeed, these were the offerings most people first became familiar with when the internet became an option for many households thanks to services such as America Online (AOL).

Even though those were some of the first, some people still consider them some of the best home cybersecurity products because viruses are still genuine risks. The aftermath can be particularly severe these days since many individuals use the internet to do personal banking, book medical appointments and communicate with their colleagues. 

When individuals were getting acquainted with going online, most did not do so for those high-stakes reasons. Instead, they often looked for websites dedicated to things that interested them or popped into chat rooms to find like-minded internet users. Online shopping was not a significant activity back then, so people typically did not enter their payment details on websites. 

Things are much different now, and ESET Home Security Premium is a purpose-built product to help. Besides protecting users against viruses, spyware and ransomware, this cybersecurity tool has numerous complementing features to help everyone in your home use the internet more safely. For example, a webcam protection capability alerts you to potential unauthorized attempts to use that accessory on your computer. There’s also a password manager and a secure browsing option. The best home cybersecurity products offer all-encompassing protection, and this product is a great example of the possibilities. 

Yubico YubiKey 5C NFC

Most internet users are familiar with passwords as authentication methods, but they increasingly need to use two-factor authentication (2FA), too. It requires people to prove their identity with two forms of information. Most commonly, that means they provide something they know and something they have. That may mean typing in a password they chose while setting up the account and inputting information such as codes sent to their smartphones for login purposes. 

However, another option is to use a security key. It is a physical device that looks similar to a USB thumb drive. Security keys rely on cryptography and generate unique signatures to verify who users are. That approach makes them much more secure than traditional passwords, although people who use them may still need to enter those as well. 

The YubiKey 5C NFC security key deserves a place among home security products to put on your list because this product from Yubico comes from one of the most well-known brands offering security keys. 

This product works with many of the top companies you may already have accounts with, such as Microsoft and Google, and its compatibility spans all the major operating systems. Since this key is durable, it’s tamper-resistant. Moreover, the device does not need batteries or network connectivity. Besides plugging the device into USB-C ports, you can tap it on NFC-enabled devices for authentication. 

One of the downsides of all security keys is that they are small, making people more likely to lose them. However, this key has an integrated hole, making it easy to attach to a lanyard or otherwise make it easier to carry. 

Stocking up on Home Cybersecurity Products 

Except for the last item on this list, all the possibilities are things everyone in your household can use to collectively stay safer online. Even though security keys are user-specific, you may decide that now is an ideal time to get everyone in your house accustomed to using them. They are modestly priced items that become invaluable if they prevent costly cyberattacks. 

Practicing online safety is all about being aware of threats and doing what you can to minimize them. These home cybersecurity products make that goal more manageable and help you feel more equipped to navigate a world full of potential internet-associated dangers.