Vigil Learn › Your Wi-Fi And Router

My internet address is on a blocklist. Am I hacked?

Lesson 8 of 10 in Your Wi-Fi And Router

Not necessarily. Addresses get listed when a device sends spam or odd traffic, sometimes from a past owner of the address. Check your devices for anything you don't recognize, and restart your router, which sometimes gives you a new address.

Why It Matters

Blocklists help email and websites block bad traffic. Being on one can make some sites block you or ask for extra checks, and it can be a sign a device at home is misbehaving.

What To Do

  1. Run a checkup and look for any device you don't recognize.
  2. Update your devices, especially smart gadgets and old computers.
  3. Restart your router. Unplug it, wait 30 seconds, and plug it back in.
  4. If the warning keeps coming back, ask your internet provider about it.

Check your own home

Vigil by Cortex is a weekly Wi-Fi checkup for iPhone. One tap checks every device on your Wi-Fi and what the internet can see, then shows you what to fix, step by step.

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