Wireless Protection

By definition, wireless networks are insecure unless precautions are taken. Probably fifty percent of WLANs we see are unsecured. The danger of an unsecured network is real and we see the results regularly. The most common risk is having someone hijacking (we call it leeching) your Internet connection. The result could be massive excess Internet fees or a capped service. One girl we know dropped her broadband Internet connection when she started hitching on her neighbour's wireless LAN. Recently one of our techs once walked out of a home in Bronte, having just set up a new wireless, to find a couple snooping with a laptop. So people are out there looking for, and using, other people's networks. So you need to secure your wireless network. Luckily, the manufacturers are aware of these issues and provide a number of features that come built into most wireless equipment. Properly used, these settings will keep all but the most dedicated hacker off your system. Before securing your network, you must read the manual that came with your wireless router or access point. If you get your settings wrong, you will be locked out. It's also best to use a computer wired directly to the access point when configuring security.

• Wireless Encryption Protocol: WEP is the basic security for a wireless network. This encrypts the wireless signal making it difficult to connect without the WEP passkey. WEP is older technology and newer encryption protocols such as WPA are becoming common.
• MAC Address filtering: Every computer network point has a unique name, known as the M edia A ccess C ontrol address. You can set your wireless router to only accept connections from known addresses. Even if the neighbours can see your network, they can't connect.
• Conceal your SSID: Every wireless network has it's own name, known as a S ervice S et ID entifier. Once you have set up your network, you can stop your access point from announcing the name. This makes it difficult for the neighbours to see the network.
• VPN: A V irtual P rivate N etwork encrypts the talk between computers. While not strictly part of a wireless network, it adds another level of difficulty for someone trying to figure out how your network is set up.
• Reduce your power: Many wireless routers and access points allow you to adjust the power used. The less signal that escapes your premises, the less likely an outsider can find your network. One everything is working, reduce the power to the minimum you need to connect.
• Secure your network: To further hide your system from the bad guys, it's a good idea to only share the minimum you need to share. Don't share entire drives and don't use the default network names generated by Windows.
• protect your system: Trojan horses and viruses can creep onto your system and compromise your security. Make sure your system is kept up to date with latest security patches, anti-virus software and kept clean of spyware. The best secured network will be defeated by a well placed Trojan horse.

The aim of this is to keep your neighbours and their curious 15 year old son off your network. These settings will probably do that. But if the kid next door is a serious hacker, they can beat all this security. As this article shows, setting up a secure wireless network is not for the faint hearted. No matter how much the product is improved, wired networks are more secure, faster and more reliable. We recommend only considering wireless networks if wiring a building is not feasible.

Signs of spyware

• If your computer starts to behave strangely or displays any of the symptoms listed below, you may have spyware or other unwanted software installed on your computer.
• “I see pop-up advertisements all the time.” Some unwanted software will bombard you with pop-up ads that aren't related to a particular Web site you're visiting. These ads are often for adult or other Web sites you may find objectionable. If you see pop-up ads as soon as you turn on your computer or when you're not even browsing the Web, you may have spyware or other unwanted software on your computer.
• “My settings have changed and I can't change them back to the way they were.” Some unwanted software has the ability to change your home page or search page settings. This means that the page that opens first when you start your Internet browser or the page that appears when you select "search" may be pages that you do not recognize. Even if you know how to adjust these settings, you may find that they revert back every time you restart your computer.
• “My Web browser contains additional components that I don't remember downloading.” Spyware and other unwanted software can add additional toolbars to your Web browser that you don't want or need. Even if you know how to remove these toolbars, they may return each time you restart your computer.
• “My computer seems sluggish.” Spyware and other unwanted software are not necessarily designed to be efficient. The resources these programs use to track your activities and deliver advertisements can slow down your computer and errors in the software can make your computer crash. If you notice a sudden increase in the number of times a certain program crashes, or if your computer is slower than normal at performing routine tasks, you may have spyware or other unwanted software on your machine.

If you think your computer is infected with spyware, bring it in to our workshop for a thorough diagnosis.

What is a computer virus?

Computer viruses are software programs deliberately designed to interfere with computer operation, record, corrupt, or delete data, or spread themselves to other computers and throughout the Internet, often slowing things down and causing other problems in the process.

Just as human viruses range in severity from the 24-hour flu to the Ebola virus, computer viruses range from the mildly annoying to the downright destructive, and come in new and different forms. The good news is that with an ounce of prevention and a little knowledge, you are less likely to fall victim to viruses and you can diminish their impact.

How do viruses work?

Basic viruses typically require unwary computer users to inadvertently share or send them. Some viruses that are more sophisticated, such as worms, can replicate and send themselves automatically to other computers by controlling other software programs, such as an e-mail sharing application. Certain viruses, called Trojans (named after the fabled Trojan horse), can falsely appear as a beneficial program to coax users into downloading them. Some Trojans can even provide expected results while quietly damaging your system or other networked computers at the same time.

Nothing can guarantee the security of your computer 100 percent. However, you can continue to improve your computer's security and decrease the possibility of infection by keeping your system up-to-date, maintaining a current antivirus software subscription, and following a few best practices.

• Use an Internet firewall (Note: Windows XP with SP2 has a firewall already built-in and active).
• Visit Microsoft Update and turn on Automatic Updates.
• Subscribe to industry standard antivirus software and keep it current.
• Never open an e-mail attachment from someone you don't know.
• Avoid opening an e-mail attachment from someone you know, unless you know exactly what the attachment is. The sender may be unaware that it contains a virus.