LAS VEGAS—Securifi has been offering mesh Wi-Fi routers—the kind that bring wireless connectivity to the far reaches of your home—long before Google Wifi. Now, the company that made its debut on Kickstarter is introducing a subscription-based service to defend against one of 2016's biggest cyber threats: botnets.
Available as an add-on to the Almond 3 Wi-Fi router, the service can automatically detect devices on your home network that are prone to Mirai-like botnet attacks. Mirai made headlines in October when it brought much of the US Web infrastructure to its knees for a few hours by unleashing a DDoS attack on DNS provider Dyn from millions of compromised IoT devices.
The Mirai attack thrust Internet of Things security into the mainstream, and Securifi is clearly looking to capitalize on that awareness. With the service, which costs $3.99 per month for a limited time, Almond 3 routers will detect if a network is compromised and—if it is—identify zombie devices participating in DDoS attacks. Users can then block these devices from the Almond mobile app.
Like other whole-network monitoring services, Securifi's solution will also let you set up parental controls to restrict Web browsing on your kids' devices. Other security features you'd expect from a $399 router are already available on the Almond 3, including the ability to add limited-access guest networks and control smart home devices from its cloud-connected app.
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The service is launching today with functionality for around 20 of the most popular IoT and connected devices, like Nest, Amazon Echo, Wink, SmartThings, and Hue. But one of the key drawbacks of the Almond 3—its high price—looks like it will also apply to the security service. Securifi says it will raise the $3.99 per month price to $9.99 per month "when additional features are rolled out," though it didn't specify when that might be.
At least two other security devices have made their debut at CES this week. Security company Norton unveiled a new home security device, the Core, designed to protect Wi-Fi networks, devices that use those networks, and IOT gadgets—the first such device from Norton. Bitdefender also revealed version 2 of Box, which scans for weak passwords and prevents you from accidentally submitting personal data on fake sites, among other things.