As the number of homes with broadband and multiple PCs increases, so do the number of small, generally insecure networks. These little pockets of high-speed connected systems are ripe targets for hackers and viruses looking for vectors to launch attacks from. While a few years ago, home networks were the realm of the geeky, the sort of people who had somewhat of a clue as to what they were doing, today anyone can walk into a Wal-Mart and buy a wireless router for $50 and suddenly their entire home is networked! However, while it's easy to setup, it's not so easy to secure, and most people never take the time to ensure the safety of their home network.
Your information is only as safe as the weakest link in the chain. It's much easier for someone to steal your credit card information from your home PC than it is for them to break into your bank's online system.
InformationWeek has an 8 step guide to securing a small size network. They create a fictional network of 4-8 PCs, some wired, some wireless spread over a 600 square foot area. The principles outlined in the article though will work to secure any size network, large or small.
