Verizon has partnered with cybersecurity experts McAfee to secure IoT devices around the home against increasing threats.

McAfee’s solution will be provided through Verizon’s Home Network Protection (HNP) to protect devices connected to the home network. New devices will be identified while unauthorised access will be blocked.

Any device acting suspiciously will have its internet access temporarily stopped. Halting network access prevents further infection while stopping the device being hijacked for devastating botnets such as the infamous Mirai.

Shailaja Shankar, General Manager of Mobile and ISP business units at McAfee, said:

“Our homes are more connected than ever before. It’s imperative that consumers look beyond their PCs to keep their devices and information safe.

We are delighted that Verizon shares our vision of making the home a secure space and chose us to help ensure its customers are protected from online threats.”

The solution will also improve protection against malicious websites and offer parental controls.

Darren Kaufmann, Executive Director at Verizon, commented:

“We are committed to providing security solutions that help our customers enjoy their digital lives to the fullest.

Together with McAfee, we can help ensure the home network is secure, and that parents have the peace of mind knowing they have the simple tools they need to provide a safe online environment for their children.”

Verizon Home Network Protection (HNP) is currently available for Verizon Fios customers and is included in the price of the Verizon Quantum Gateway Router.

Shocking research from McAfee Labs last month highlighted the increasing prevalence of IoT malware. During the three months of Q3 2018, McAfee detected 480 IoT malware threats every minute. Furthermore, new malware samples grew by 53 percent.

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