Wireless routers and networks by their nature, allow popular wireless devices such as the iPod Touch, to be connected to the Internet beyond the physical boundaries of buildings. Unlike a wired network, wireless networks can be detected and hacked if they are not properly secured.
Features of WEP
The first attempts at adding security to wireless networks was based on a 10-character (40-bit) encryption key to secure wireless network data and is known as the "Wired Equivalent Privacy" (WEP) security standard. Subsequent industry developments also introduced a 26-character (104-bit) key length that is also used with WEP to make the key stronger and more difficult to crack.
WEP uses a static key, which does not change, to encrypt and decrypt data traffic. WEP is a shared key and does not change once it is set by the user. It is this static nature of WEP that makes it a weaker security standard compared to the "Wi-Fi Protected Access" (WPA) standard.
Why WPA Is Better
WPA is a significant improvement, and much more secure than WEP. It requires a pass phrase to be setup by the user and has dynamic shared keys that automatically change constantly. The pass phrase enables you to authenticate authorized users before they get access to your wireless network. This makes it much harder for a hacker to crack your wireless network. The pass phrase is normally setup on a wireless router and is only known by trusted users. Security professionals generally consider WPA to be a secure wireless protocol. However, WPA is not a perfect standard, but it is better than WEP for home based wireless networks.
Wi-Fi Access Points Have Risks
Wi-Fi access points are often setup with wireless routers that have the manufacturers default configuration set to broadcast the Service Set Identifier (SSID). The SSID of a wireless network is used to distinguish it from other nearby wireless networks. This feature is also helpful if you want guests to find and use your network, but it also advertises your network presence to hackers and leaves your network vulnerable to potential attacks.
If you want to hide your wireless network, then it is best to disable SSID broadcasting. Public Wi-Fi hotspots allow many guests to use the same network and hence are not suitable for transmitting private and sensitive information. These public wireless networks generally do not offer encryption or other forms of advanced protection so as to allow a broader range of wireless devices to connect easily.
Recommendations
Without a secured wireless network, your information is at risk and you could become a victim of hackers. You should never use WEPto protect your wireless network as it is not sufficiently secure enough. The objective is to harden security to prevent, or at least deter, hackers from breaching your wireless network. Use the WPA protocol as a minimum with wireless networks and wireless devices and don't share private data over an unsecured public Wi-Fi network to protect your private and sensitive information from hackers.
access point vs router
Niciun comentariu:
Trimiteți un comentariu