Wireless Networking Made Easy – Security Issues

Couple of weeks ago I wrote a Post about wireless. I submitted the post to Gooruze and I got an excellent comment from Warren – Chief Operating Officer at ineedhits.com.

He wrote about the security and gave some handy tips:

“Security with wireless is an issue.  If you have an Internet account which you pay for usage, you may want to make sure you prevent people from stealing your wireless and racking up huge bills.

As a general rule, here is what I do to ensure that my wireless networks can not be easily hacked (not I said easily – wireless is not that secure and the script kiddes will find a way in if they want to):

1. Change the admin password immediately.
2. Use an obsecure SSID (do not use a company name as that helps identify who you are).
3. Do not broadcast the SSID.
4. Lock down the wireless to only use known MAC addresses
5. Use encryption – the highest you possibly can.
6. Turn off your wireless when not in use – may not be practical if you have “always on” computers
7. Consider subnetting off your wireless network from your wired network (advanced) to ensure that if someone does get into the wireless network, they can’t gt into the wired network.

All of these steps combined will assist in making your network harder to hack.  It will not make it hack proof.  As I sit here and type this, I am aware of 6 WIFI networks in range. 2 of which are still using the default settings for SSID. I would be willing to bet that they haven’t even changed their admin password! (but I am not going to check).

Don’t get caught out!”

Thanks Darren,

Cheers

Lucio Dias Ribeiro

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