sfprop
San Francisco
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Joined: 11/22/2006
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In light of some earlier discussion of wireless networks, I thought you'd be interested in this article about the danger of open networks.
Basically, you should never have an unsecured network.
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Bearnkat
Fort Worth, Texas
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Really good article. Thanks for sharing it with all of us.
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Aridon
SE Florida
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I can't tell you the number of times I see open networks in camp grounds. Its foolish and everything you do on your computers is easily visable if you don't take the simple precaution of securing your routers.
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joshjack
Alabama
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Yet another SCARY article about computer security. These news people just love to scare everyone. The fact is no network is 100% secure. If you are in a populated area your network should be secured somehow. If you want to leave it open to "share" your internet, then you should have every computer locked down and file sharing turned off.
The real question becomes, what do you have to steal and is it worth the effort? Business, like the restaurants in the article, may provide easy access to 1000's of credit card numbers. But what do you have on your network? And when you use reputable websites from your home network, the credit information should be completely encrypted anyway.
J
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magicbus
LBI, NJ BPK, FL
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While it was an interesting article it failed to identify any information that could be taken from a computer that was properly configured on an unsecured network. The only problem it pointed out was someone downloading porn using an unsecured wifi access point. It would be much more helpful if, rather than spreading FUD, these people would identify specific ways that someone could steal information from me through - as they call it - my open bathroom window.
I always leave ours unencrypted for a couple of reasons - mostly because in our vacation homes it makes supporting technologically inept tenants much easier. I could care less if they know how to secure their own computers, mine are safe.
Dave
Life doesn't come with a safety fence around it... enjoy it anyway.
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skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
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Joined: 12/17/2003
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Good information if your OPERATING a WIFI network but little value to USERS as long as they have sufficient computer protection and deal only with secure sites.
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apr67
Tallahassee, Florida
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I never bother to secure wifi at my home. I hook it up OUTSIDE of my firewall, so that anyone using wifi has to penetrate the firewall just like anyone else outside of my physically wired network. Many companies use this for open access these days.
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west10
estill springs , tn/usa
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Joined: 08/27/2003
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Well i looked at the news but still have a hard time getting the idea.
I have a linksys and have been trying to figure how to turn off the wireless part as i have hard wired it.
I will figure it out sooner or later but for now can i just unscrew the atenna and remove it?
Maybe put a bud lite beer can over the atenna?
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joshjack
Alabama
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west10 wrote:Well i looked at the news but still have a hard time getting the idea.
I have a linksys and have been trying to figure how to turn off the wireless part as i have hard wired it.
I will figure it out sooner or later but for now can i just unscrew the atenna and remove it?
Maybe put a bud lite beer can over the atenna?
Removing the antenna will affect your range but more then likely people will still be able to connect. There should be a check box for WLAN in the config tool. Make sure you're using the real tool and not the wizard. Generally you open your web browser and go to http://192.168.0.1 or http://192.168.100.1
J
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KeninAZ
SE AZ
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Joined: 06/22/2002
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I was in the Verizon store the other day while getting my air card service. I was amazed when the software found 8 retailers within range of the Verizon store and that 6 of the 8 were unsecured.
Did anyone else read about the merchants that were using unsecured WiFi links to scan your credit card info and relay it to their computer in the stores?
I did.
It turns out that ID thieves were monitoring those transmissions and capturing your credit and debit card info.
I think it was Boston Markets, some book store and a couple of well known big retailers that put this stuff in unsecured.
That's what they get for hiring people that don't know what they are doing.
But then again the retailers were not the ones that got stung.
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