Your first thoughts about Wi-Fi analytics may have little to do with security. Many business owners associate the data they get from Wi-Fi analytics with marketing campaigns and customer insights. But the information you get from the devices that connect to your network can also help protect your business.
From preventing the spread of malware to identifying suspicious activity in and outside your location, Wi-Fi analytics guards against threats. Managers can use the data to monitor employees and customers and restrict access to questionable online content. On top of that, business owners can quickly pinpoint the sources of attempted cyberattacks before too much damage ensues. Here’s how you can best use Wi-Fi analytics to secure your company’s interests.
Tracks When and How Often Customers Connect
A solution lets you separate your network into three different access levels. Guests can connect to a public network with more limited permissions, while employees use a secure connection. Meanwhile, your back office or most sensitive devices connect to an isolated, more secure network. This is so employees, guests, and cybercriminals can’t easily discover that equipment or its data.
But because customers use a public connection when they’re visiting a business, they gain access through a captive portal. A captive portal is a landing page with a disclaimer about public Wi-Fi. The page also has a section where guests can put in their information. Wi-Fi analytics uses that information to link it with customers’ devices. Each smartphone, tablet, or laptop has a unique media access control or MAC address.
Your Wi-Fi network captures MAC addresses each time they’re connected and notes how long they use the service. Combined with customer data, you can identify which guests are in the building and how often. You’ll also see what times customers visit and which periods tend to be slow or busy. These insights will help you adjust staffing levels to handle the volume and guard against shrinkage. Plus, device information may reveal your most common cybersecurity threats.
Monitors Employee Activity
Since a Wi-Fi connection can capture and track customer information, it does the same for employees. However, Wi-Fi analytics do more than track your staff’s devices and when they connect. Timecard and security features show who’s working and if they’re following their schedules. But beyond that, you can see how much time employees spend online and what they do.
Through analytics, you may notice certain crew members are on social media frequently. Other employees spend their lunch breaks checking emails and certain websites. This data may reveal the need to limit access to social media based on job responsibilities. Phishing attacks via social media , with attacks per target increasing by 103%. Internal network use trends expose specific security vulnerabilities and training opportunities.
Bring your own device or BYOD, policies are also common in many businesses. Staff may have company-owned laptops or tablets they use during the workday. Nonetheless, they bring in their personal smartphones and other gadgets and connect them to your network. Those devices could be infected with malware from suspicious programs or links. Wi-Fi analytics show which BYOD devices are problematic and whether you need to incorporate more restrictive measures.
Enables Motion Sensors
Every device that stays connected to your network is a source of information. This includes Internet of things equipment, such as smart thermostats, smart locks, and smart LED lights. Wi-Fi analytics can uncover whether someone tried to remove or tamper with a device, including network access points. Analytics reports may also help you discover whether someone added a rogue or unauthorized IoT device to the network.
These insights might indicate a security problem with an employee, vendor, or guest. While many businesses use security cameras to monitor potential threats and incidents, smart Wi-Fi helps extend cameras’ reach. You can turn on motion detection features for every connected IoT device.
That means you get more reports and alerts about suspicious movements in and around your business. So, if a smart device detects motion near your back office at midnight, it could point to potential theft. It might be an employee who’s in the building when they shouldn’t be. Wi-Fi analytics can show whether that person’s smartphone is on the network at the same time. You’ll be able to swiftly identify the sources of security threats and take appropriate actions.
Blocks Devices and Content
Research on cybersecurity threats exposed that had at least one compromised employee account in 2021. Accounts, such as network logins and emails, often become compromised through phishing attacks and malicious links. You’ve likely received one or more phishing attempts in your inbox. These messages may look legitimate but ask you to confirm sensitive or personal information.
While intelligent Wi-Fi solutions can quarantine or contain compromised devices and accounts, Wi-Fi analytics show where they’re coming from. If you know there are problems with phishing attacks through an instant messaging app, you can block that program. All devices that connect to your Wi-Fi won’t be able to use that program. It’s another measure you can take to prevent more compromised accounts or the spread of malware.
You can also use restrictions at the device level. Analytics reports and alerts may indicate a specific smartphone or tablet is the source of a denial of service or DOS attack. You can stop that MAC address from making a connection and restore network service to your customers and staff. Restricting specific online or network activities per gadget is another possibility. You’ll prevent suspicious or problematic devices from accessing your most sensitive data.
Wi-Fi Analytics and Business Security
Wi-Fi analytics may seem like an unlikely source of security for your business. Yet, this data can help you discover what cybersecurity and physical threats you need to control the most. Insights from customer and employee network activities, motion sensor-enabled devices, and cyberattack attempts will help strengthen your security measures. In the end, it’s your business’s reputation you need to protect. Wi-Fi analytics is yet another tool you can use to accomplish that.