Many churchgoers today are using their tablets or smart phones to read their Bibles or to take notes during the worship service. As a result, many churches now offer wi-fi, which offers several benefits for parishioners. While free Wi-Fi provides many benefits, it also carries risk. For example:

• Church computers, servers and internet devices could be accessed or compromised.
• Unauthorized church members could access important financial or personal files.
• Users might illegally download music and videos.
• People from the community could park outside the church and use its free Wi-Fi to access immoral or illegal content.

You or your church could be punished for what others do while utilizing your free wireless internet connection. It’s important to prevent members of the church and community from using the church’s internet connection illegally.

One church in Missouri found itself in the midst of an FBI forensic audit after its unsecured Wi-Fi network was used by someone to distribute illegal images online. The individual accessed the church’s Wi-Fi in the church’s parking lot after hours. The FBI was able to trace the act by the IP address which belonged to the church. The FBI confiscated the church’s computers and servers for its forensic audit.

If your church offers wi-fi, here are some ways to secure your wireless network: 

Use a Password
Use strong passwords for all Wi-Fi networks and administrative computers. For guest networks, change the password weekly and share it with the congregation through the bulletin, slides or signs. For administrative computers, change the password every six months.[1] 

Separate Guest Networks
If your church offers Wi-Fi to guests, create a separate guest network that’s only accessible to the internet. You can configure the guest network to be on a different subnet and use WPA2, a security protocol that uses encryption. You can also limit access by creating users with time schedules, specifying bandwidth limitations and using filters and timers.[2] 

Isolate IoT devices
Keep devices like thermostats, security cameras and smart TVs separate from your main network. 

Back up Data
Regularly back up critical data to a hard drive or data cloud so you can recover information if there’s a cyberattack, natural disaster or human error. You can also create a disaster recovery plan with steps for responding to different types of incidents, such as data breaches and ransomware attacks.[3]

Use a Content Filter
A content filter is another measure that can help prevent illegal internet use. Cisco Umbrella, or similar services, can protect you and your ministry from liability by blocking websites that you don’t want people visiting while on the church’s Wi-Fi.[4] 

Stay Up to Date
Keep your routing devices updated with the latest patches, ideally through automatic updates.[5] 

If you find this content compelling but need help implementing these protective measures, reach out to a local IT professional or ask someone tech-savvy in your church for help.

[1] https://www.brotherhoodmutual.com/resources/safety-library/risk-management-articles/administrative-staff-and-finance/documents-and-data/wi-fi-safety/#:~:text=Use%20Password%20Protection,it%20correlate%20with%20the%20sermon.
[2] https://capincrouse.com/inherent-risk-guest-wi-fi-access-church/#:~:text=Keep%20guest%20access%20separate%20from,by%20individual%20user%20or%20group.
[3] https://www.securegive.com/strengthen-church-data-security/#:~:text=Backups%20are%20your%20safety%20net,their%20role%20in%20a%20crisis.
[4] https://www.brotherhoodmutual.com/resources/safety-library/risk-management-articles/administrative-staff-and-finance/documents-and-data/wi-fi-safety/#:~:text=Use%20Password%20Protection,it%20correlate%20with%20the%20sermon.
[5] https://cenetric.com/10-ways-to-secure-your-church-network/