These past few years the internet has become more available, affordable, and easier to use. In great numbers, home users are adopting wireless technology. They seek to find ways where their data and information can be virtually stored. Because of this, the question now is how can you protect your information when using wireless technology?
On-the-go laptop users can also find free wireless connections in public places like coffee shops, malls and airports. One caveat though is that if you’re using advanced technology, you must be aware of the security threats you might encounter.
Consequently, you have to be aware of relevant knowledge on how to secure your information, especially if you are an avid user of wireless technology. A wireless connection is commonly known as what we call today as Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi is an alternative way to connect to the internet without the use of cable wires. You are able to use the internet connection wirelessly though the router. That is how convenient wireless connection is.
It has become the trend to work remotely. Owing to this global health disaster, many entrepreneurs have decided to work remotely in order to maintain the productivity of their companies. In conjunction, employees too are required to adapt a work from home schedule.
This sudden change has occasioned the reorganization of existing businesses, which have led the employees with advanced techniques to implement remote communication.
How to protect your information when using wireless technology?
Since wireless connection has been widely utilized across the country and, possibly, all over the world, we have to teach ourselves to learn several strategies to protect ourselves and our family from possible illegal collection of personal information, stealing of identities, compromising financial data, and any other risks.
Whether it’s a personal or business network, the threats to an unsecured wireless network are still possible. Hence, you should be extra careful when you are connected to the internet.
To counter these possible risks, you should give every effort to configure your WLAN (Wireless Local rea Network) accurately. As will be discussed, do not use easy to hack or common passwords.
You should also know how to enable a range of security features that includes standard authentication and encryption, along with other access control mechanisms.
This can be implemented easily through the use of corresponding manual accompanying the wireless device.
How to prevent wireless network attacks?
In implementing your strategies to protect your data and information, these useful tips may be of help to prevent wireless network attacks:
Use virtual private network
By using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) whenever you connect your device to a public Wi-Fi network, you will effectively use a ‘private tunnel’ that encrypts all your data. This can also avoid cybercriminals who are sneaking on the network from chancing upon, and in the process interrupting and stealing, your data.
Use your mobile phone instead of connecting to public wifi
If there’s a need for you to access any websites that require you to input any sensitive and important information which includes your social networking, bank information, etc. — it may be useful accessing them via your mobile data network, rather than by using the public Wi-Fi connection.
Consider all Wi-Fi links are suspicious
Don’t always assume that all Wi-Fi links are legitimate. It could be a spurious link that has been set up by a cybercriminal to illegally obtain valuable and personal information from the users. Try to question every link that you want to access and do not join an unrecognized wireless access point right away.
How to use wireless technology securely?
In order for you to securely use wireless technology, make sure that your new WLAN equipment conforms with the required and latest standards of wireless networking and must complement the same.
As much as possible, you should get the equipment from the same provider of wireless service in order to ensure that the former is compatible with the specifications of the latter.
Additionally, do not forget to always enable the security features available in your device when installing new equipment. If you are unable to do so, it could leave your entire network possible to attack and other risks.
Always try to position access points away from the outside wall of your house to diminish leakage of radio signals. This also limits the possibilities of blockage from outside.
Don’t allow anyone to add access points without your authorization because one unsecure access point could put your entire network at risk of possible stealing of information and other threats.
If you need more security for your wireless transactions, you should run additional encryption and use the latest software technologies to protect the data transmitting across your network. If it’s possible, use firewalls to separate the WLAN from the rest of your network.
Always monitor your network and make sure to check the logs periodically. If you think you don’t know how, or overwhelming for you, to do this, you may call in and hire an expert to do the same for you.
Finally, consider help at all times from knowledgeable people to check the wireless technology security protocols in your device.
How to protect wifi from neighbors?
To find out if uninvited guests are stealing your bandwidth, you have to check the list of devices that are connected to your Wi-Fi.
In the router settings, open the list of connected devices. From there, you can check it carefully if some of your neighbors are actually connected to it.
If you see an unfamiliar name, someone else is probably using your connection. Such illicit connections will give attackers an access to every bit of important data you send over the Internet.
If that’s the case, change your Wi-Fi passwords. These are your number one defense. So, if for some reason you haven’t set a password yet, do it right away in your Wi-Fi network.
If you already did, but uninvited visitors are still connecting, then change the password to remove them from the access. Make sure that the password is strong! Yes, all connected devices will have to reconnect but that is all worthwhile.
Change your admin username and password of your router. Make sure to make a strong and unique username and password that no one can possibly guess.
Disable the Wi-Fi protected set up because using it simplifies the process of authorization which will be easier for the attackers to access.
What to do if your wifi is hacked?
If your Wi-Fi has been hacked, do not just think that the hackers hacked your network just for internet use. By intruding your network, hackers can steal important data such as bank details, credit card information and other valuable data.
So it is very important for you to fix your hacked Wi-Fi immediately to avoid these risks. It will not only save you but also save others from losing valuable data.
To fix your compromised network, the first thing you have to do is detach your router so that the cybercriminal loses track of your network.
You have to physically disconnect the internet connection from your router. You should also unplug the internet connection from your devices.
After that, try to reset your router. Every Wi-Fi router has a reset button that enables it to reset the router.
When you reset your Wi-Fi router, it removes all the settings including the passwords. It will disable the hackers to control your network.
After that, modify the existing password on your router’s admin panel to disable the intruder from accessing your Wi-Fi.
Can someone hack into my phone through wifi?
Every day, we watch news about phone being hacked and how the hackers make money from people clueless about the security of their assets and devices.
For someone not very technology inclined, it may seem that hackers are so powerful and genius, and the only way to avoid them is to shut down all devices and get rid of it completely.
However, the reality is that there are various things we can do in order to make sure that we are safe when surfing the internet without affecting our access to the information we need.
For example, your neighbor is able to connect to your network and use your internet without paying internet bills.
Likewise, you may have conneced to the public wifi in the cafe or hotel for free. However, a hacker already hacked such a network, and now, all who are connected, which includes you, is a potential target.
Therefore, the hackers can get through your mobile phone or even to your computer by using wifi which are not really secured or even though secured, but the hacker perfectly knows how to access it.
Final thoughts
The importance of Cybersecurity is on the rise, especially that the technology is advancing day by day, from wired systems to wireless.
Basically, our society is more reliant on technology than ever before and we can see no sign that this advancement will get slow in the future. Data leaks are also popular that could possibly result in identity theft.
These information are now easy to publicly post on our social media accounts. Sensitive and valuable information like credit card information and bank account details can now be stored in storage services such as Dropbox or Google Drive.
The fact that whether you are an individual or an entrepreneur, you rely on technology systems every single day.
That is why it is important that you know basic steps on how you protect yourself from possible dangers of technology.
Using technology has a responsibility to be aware of the possible risks and the fundamental steps of securing yourself from any risks that may affect your life forever.
