Wireless networks are a great convenience--in the home, at local "hotspots" found in coffee shops and gathering places--but they also pose identity theft risks. The recent bust of the largest-ever identity theft ring uncovered in the U.S.--which stole millions of credit cards, in part, by surfing in mall parking lots for unsecured wireless networks--is a stark example of the risks inherent in wireless data transfer.
What do you need to know about identity theft and wireless networks? Read on--because your surfing could be putting you at risk.
As the number of Americans with broadband and in-home wireless networks grows, so does the opportunity for thieves seeking to intercept private data or hack into home networks. According to press reports as many as 50% of home networks are unsecured, and more than half of businesses have unsecured business data on laptops or handheld devices.
Leaving a home or business network unsecured is, essentially, like leaving your personal and business files at the curbside, according to the Internet Education Foundation (IEF). The IEF is a non-profit dedicated to educating people about the risks of leaving their wireless devices unsecured.
Step one: activate the firewall which is likely already part of your operating system in order to defeat many threats to your computer. Visit: http://security.getnetwise.org/tools/firewall to learn more about how to do this.
Step two: if you have a wireless setup at home, protect your base station (or router) by changing the default password. Users often fail to change the manufacturer's default password on their base station, allowing thieves to search for base stations using default user names and passwords. Once they locate an unprotected home network they can hack into your home system--accessing your personal files and even installing malicious software to record and transmit computer logins for your bank and credit card companies to their machine.
Step three: don't Broadcast Your SSID. In addition to changing your base station password, you should disable the SSID broadcast. All Wi-Fi base stations broadcast their Service Set Identifier (SSID) to computers within range by default. You can change your base station configuration to stop automatic SSID broadcasting.
When using public hotspots: avoid doing sensitive banking and credit card transactions. Consider using a hacker-safe tool such as a secure key (Iron Key is a good example) if you must conduct sensitive business when on an outside network.
Look for these basics in any site you shop:
1. Only purchase or transact sensitive business at sites using the prefix https:// instead of http:// in the URL. The "https" indicates that it is a secure site.
2. Are you a Firefox user? Secure URLs are highlighted in yellow in your address bar.
3. Is there a closed padlock or an unbroken key on the bottom of your screen?
These are only first steps to safety. If you have most of your sensitive files on a laptop, if you frequently use handheld devices, if you have a home computer network--educate yourself!
And no matter what you do, remember that nothing is hacker safe!
As U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasy said of the recent identity theft ring bust that took advantage of lax wireless security: "Millions of Americans have had their identities compromised each year. The annual costs to American citizens and businesses are in the billions."
