If you've started a wireless network, you'll
know that it is important to keep it secure.
It is in fact quite simple for anyone to hack
into an unsecured wireless network. This is dangerous as you could be exposing
your important and personal files to others.
This
article shows how you can use 3 techniques to secure a given wireless
network. Read it to understand how to protect your
valuable systems from attack. They are not difficult to implement - and you
get immense protection and value by rolling these strategies out.
1. Disable Broadcast
SSID
One important thing to do once you set up a
wireless network? Disable the broadcast SSID. I know what you're thinking -
what the heck is a 'broadcast SSID'?
Well, good question. Let's understand this
- wireless networks always identify themselves using a
service set identifier (SSID).
You see this in your Windows taskbar at the lower right whenever you hook on
to a wireless network.
And here's the real problem ... most
wireless access equipment broadcast their SSIDs to the public by default! If
you can imagine, this is like standing in public crying out your credit card
number. So do make sure you turn it off.
2. Turn on WEP
You know how it is ... sometimes you read
in the papers or in the manual of a wireless router about this cryptic thing
called 'WEP'. Well, time to listen up carefully ...
WEP is a encryption protocol that tells the
wireless router that you use how to authenticate users logging on to your
network. Think of it as the main door into your wireless network. Now, this
'WEP' lock can have a 128-bit keys or a 64-bit key. 128-bit keys are more
difficult to crack and should be turned on.
You need to consult your wireless router
manual to see how to turn on WEP. Typically what you need to do is type in a
password, e.g. 'hellodog' or something like that. The router will then
generate a hexadecimal for you (e.g. '02AB9802FF37EE62') and you need to
write this down. You will use it when setting up Windows XP to access your
wireless network.
