Visalia Direct: Virtual Valley
\nMarch 2007 Issue
\nFebruary 11, 2007<\/p>\n
Wireless Conveniences\u2026 and Risks<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cJoin open network Tom\u2019s Place?\u201d<\/p>\n The dialog box on my laptop\u2019s screen was puzzling. Beyond the obvious problem that my name isn\u2019t Tom, something unfamiliar and strange was happening. Why was my computer wanting to join Tom\u2019s Place? Wasn\u2019t my place good enough?<\/p>\n Welcome to the convenience of wireless networking.<\/p>\n I had turned on my laptop without first turning on my wireless router, so my laptop had automatically searched for any nearby wireless networks. The newest computer operating systems take it upon themselves to locate and join wireless networks, which is much better than the way things were only a few years ago. The downside of this automation had just revealed itself, though.<\/p>\n Because I don\u2019t know \u201cTom\u201d (not the real name, of course), but assumed he must be one of my neighbors, I told my laptop \u201cNo\u201d and suddenly another dialog appeared. Did I want to join the network \u201cDeadman\u2019s Party\u201d instead? No. Okay, maybe I wanted to join \u201cNetgear020\u201d the operating system suggested.<\/p>\n By the time I turned on my router and joined my own, closed network, I had located five wireless networks in my apartment complex.<\/p>\n I wonder if the owners of these networks realize the risks they are running? Maybe nothing at all will happen to their computers \u2014 or maybe someone will go \u201cwardriving\u201d for data.<\/p>\n As network speeds have increased, so have the ranges of the radio signals involved. My apartment is on a second floor, so even a weak signal might reach four or more residences. A strong wireless network might reach 300 yards or more. This is convenient if you want to work by your pool. It\u2019s also convenient if someone wants to access a home computer from a car. That\u2019s how wardriving works: a criminal drives through a neighborhood looking for wireless networks.<\/p>\n \u201cWardriving\u201d and its variations (\u201cwarwalking\u201d and \u201cwarspying\u201d) are geekspeak for joining a wireless network for either curiosity\u2019s sake or for malevolent purposes. Believe it or not, joining an open network is not illegal in most states, including California. The theory is that if you left your network open to any computer, you must have meant to do so. However, opening someone\u2019s files without permission is illegal. It\u2019s a small step from using an Internet connection for free to the crime of peaking at someone\u2019s hard drive.<\/p>\n You might think our Valley isn\u2019t home to cybercrime, but you\u2019d be wrong.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve had a customer call and ask why his printer was printing \u201cinteresting\u201d images when he wasn\u2019t home. Now, most wardrivers aren\u2019t this daring, but someone was joining his home network and then printing inappropriate materials. This might seem funny, but what if this wardriver were to call the police and claim my client possessed illegal images?<\/p>\n The first step was to make sure the printer was not connected directly to a computer. Many home networks share a printer by connecting it to a computer. Sharing a printer in this manner can be risky, especially with older versions of Windows. If you want to share a printer, buy one that can connect directly to a network either via Ethernet or built-in wireless support.<\/p>\n In the case of my customer, the printer had its own network adapter. The next step was securing the customer\u2019s wireless router.<\/p>\n Once the customer learned someone was using his network, he felt justifiably violated. Then the concern for the customer was no longer strange images printing. What if personal data were accessed remotely? How many of us have Quicken or Money files on our systems? Do you put passwords for Web sites in a file so you don\u2019t forget them? Is there information on your system no one needs but you?<\/p>\n Sadly, a quick Web search on \u201cwardriving\u201d will reveal sites that distribute free tools for finding open wireless networks and also breaking into protected networks. With these tools, anyone can hijack your wireless network. However, most crooks are looking to work quickly, so a few precautions can save you a lot of misery.<\/p>\n Every wireless network should be password protected, using the best security available to the router. Early routers features \u201cWired Equivalent Privacy\u201d (WEP) security, which requires a password before joining the network. Unfortunately, WEP is about as secure as a screen door. Newer routers use \u201cWi-Fi Protected Access version 2\u201d (WPA2) for password protection. If your router allows you to select a form of security, do not use WEP.<\/p>\n The router I use allows me to specify which computers can join the network, as well as requiring those computers to have the right password. Also, the network is \u201cinvisible\u201d to most computers. If terms like \u201cWPA\u201d and \u201cMAC address\u201d (which does not refer to an Apple computer) are scary, hire a local consultant to configure your router. This is a quick task, and worth the small fee.<\/p>\n Home networks aren\u2019t the only wireless risks we face. Most of us with laptop computers go from network to network. I use at least three wireless networks on a regular basis, and even more when I travel. School networks tend to be open, which is great for surfing the Web and checking e-mail. Many coffee shops have free wireless, and I\u2019ve located a restaurant with a public wireless network. While I can\u2019t imagine sitting in a booth with my laptop during dinner, I\u2019ve witnessed people unable to stop working while ordering their meal.<\/p>\n Public networks are convenient and risky. Sure, you can locate an iTunes music library on some stranger\u2019s computer, but that also means people can locate files on your system.<\/p>\n Security really starts at the computer. You can turn-off features like \u201cfile sharing\u201d in Windows or OS X. You can also password protect files in most popular applications. Of course, you should never keep usernames and passwords on your computer, either!<\/p>\n It would be nice to think that we\u2019re somehow safer than residents of Silicon Valley when we go wireless. Stories on wardriving have appeared in major Bay Area newspapers, so people there might take more precautions. Still, the truth is, most of us setup our wireless networks with the \u201cdoors unlocked\u201d not because we trust other people \u2014 we simply don\u2019t understand how risky wireless computing can be.<\/p>\n Wireless networks are great. I\u2019d never give up the freedom I enjoy using a wireless connection at home and work. I\u2019m also as careful as I can be while still enjoying that freedom.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Visalia Direct: Virtual Valley March 2007 Issue February 11, 2007 Wireless Conveniences\u2026 and Risks \u201cJoin open network Tom\u2019s Place?\u201d The dialog box on my laptop\u2019s…<\/p>\n