Wireless Security

Interactive Quiz: Invasion of the Wireless Hackers

Increasingly, computer users interested in convenience and mobility are accessing the Internet wirelessly. Today, business travelers use wireless laptops to stay in touch with the home office; vacationers beam snapshots to friends while still on holiday; and shoppers place orders from the comfort of their couches. A wireless network can connect computers in different parts of your home or business without a tangle of cords and enable you to work on a laptop anywhere within the network’s range.

Going wireless generally requires a broadband Internet connection into your home, called an “access point,” like a cable or DSL line that runs into a modem. To set up the wireless network, you connect the access point to a wireless router that broadcasts a signal through the air, sometimes as far as several hundred feet. Any computer within range that’s equipped with a wireless client card can pull the signal from the air and gain access to the Internet.

The downside of a wireless network is that, unless you take certain precautions, anyone with a wireless-ready computer can use your network. That means your neighbors, or even hackers lurking nearby, could “piggyback” on your network, or even access the information on your computer. And if an unauthorized person uses your network to commit a crime or send spam, the activity can be traced back to your account.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect your wireless network and the computers on it.

Precautionary Steps

1. Use encryption. The most effective way to secure your wireless network from intruders is to encrypt, or scramble, communications over the network. Most wireless routers, access points, and base stations have a built-in encryption mechanism. If your wireless router doesn’t have an encryption feature, consider getting one that does. Manufacturers often deliver wireless routers with the encryption feature turned off. You must turn it on. The directions that come with your wireless router should explain how to do that. If they don’t, check the router manufacturer’s website.

Two main types of encryption are available: Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). Your computer, router, and other equipment must use the same encryption. WPA is stronger; use it if you have a choice. It should protect you against most hackers. Some older routers use only WEP encryption, which is better than no encryption. It should protect your wireless network against accidental intrusions by neighbors or attacks by less sophisticated hackers. If you use WEP encryption, set it to the highest security level available.

2. Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a firewall. Computers on a wireless network need the same protections as any computer connected to the Internet. Install anti-virus and antispyware software, and keep them up-to-date. If your firewall was shipped in the “off” mode, turn it on.

3. Turn off identifier broadcasting. Most wireless routers have a mechanism called identifier broadcasting. It sends out a signal to any device in the vicinity announcing its presence. You don’t need to broadcast this information if the person using the network already knows it is there. Hackers can use identifier broadcasting to home in on vulnerable wireless networks. Disable the identifier broadcasting mechanism if your wireless router allows it.