How to enhance your WiFi security


Protecting your WiFi is so important given the amount we do online these days. We’ve got some great advice to help protect your own and your families’ use of your WiFi network.

How do I secure my WiFi network?


What are Virgin Media's encryption options?

The most common way to protect a WiFi network is to enable the WiFi router's built-in encryption options. Encryption means that the WiFi signal is scrambled so that unauthorised computers and devices are unable to understand the data being transmitted across your WiFi network. The computers and devices you wish to authorise are set up so that they can descramble the WiFi signal and hence connect to and use the WiFi network.

Broadband security alerts explained

The Virgin Media Internet Security team issue automated communications to customers via letter and email when they have received intelligence to suggest there is vulnerability on the customer’s home network that can be exploited by a remote attacker.

Advice on how to resolve each vulnerability we send communications about are listed on our security hub.

Home network protection

Will resolving these issues stop internet services from working?


No, making changes in the firewall based on the advice we have listed at our security hub will not stop any services from working.

Most of the vulnerabilities we issue communications about are relating to services that are only designed to run on a local network – in other words, they shouldn’t be exposed to the Internet, only the devices running on your home network.

Virgin Media's Blocked Internet Ports

In order to protect our customers and our network, a number of ports on the Virgin Media network are blocked.

Ports on the Internet are like virtual doors that data can pass through. All internet traffic passes through ports to get to and from systems and services across the Internet.

When a certain port is known to be subject to security vulnerabilities, we sometimes block that port on our network.

These ports are blocked at network-level. Traffic over these ports within your home network will continue to operate as normal, but will be inaccessible to devices outside your network.

Blocked ports TCP & UDP ports 135, 137, 138, 139 – Used by the NetBIOS service

NetBIOS services allow file sharing over a local network. When exposed to the Internet, it can be exploited to carry out malicious activities such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks or to gain unauthorised access to systems on a local network.

TCP & UDP port 445 – Used by the SMB protocol

Port 445 is vulnerable to a number of attacks which target vulnerabilities in systems running file-sharing services. This port is used by various malware strains to gain entry to a network, namely the WannaCry and Nimda malware variants.

Why does Virgin Media block certain websites?

Sometimes we’re required to block content, meaning you can’t access certain websites or servers using our broadband service. Blocking access is something that we only do when absolutely necessary.

Weak security message on Virgin Media Hub 3 when using iOS14

Recently upgraded your iPhone to iOS 14?

You may have noticed a message warning of ‘weak security’ when connecting your phone to your WiFi. This is nothing to worry about and your WiFi is still perfectly secure.

'Weak Security' on Virgin Media Boosters when using iOS14

Recently upgraded your iPhone to iOS 14 and have a Hub 3?

You may have noticed a message warning of ‘weak security’ on your WiFi connection. This is nothing to worry about and your WiFi is still perfectly secure.

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