Information security analysts monitoring the situation ahead of the midterm elections in the United States have determined that hackers working on behalf of the Kremlin intend to continue interfering with the American democratic process, and one of their proven strategies involves taking advantage of unsecured home networks.
For the most part, cyber attacks perpetrated by Russian hackers against residential wireless networks do not necessarily target members of households; the primary goal is to use the network and IP addresses for the purpose of conducting political attacks. State elections systems already block IP address ranges originating from Russia and other regions are known to be adversaries of the U.S., but they cannot block local IPs because voters need to register and obtain information about upcoming elections.
Precautions for Computer Users in the High Desert
What residents of the High Desert should keep in mind that political hackers can also carry out traditional cybercrime activity such as stealing username and password data as well as personal information for identity theft purposes. The Kremlin has been known to strike partnerships with cybercrime groups and allow them to conduct malicious hacking along with political activity; this is done to sow confusion and obfuscation.
Secure Home Networks and All Devices
Any device that connects to your home Wi-Fi network can become a dangerous endpoint for hackers to exploit. One of the problems with smart home devices such as IP cameras, light bulbs, refrigerators, home theater systems, and even video game consoles is that many manufacturers fail to remind consumers about security measures that should be taken during the installation process.
