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Information Security Tips Series |
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Wireless technologies allow transfer of information between two or more points that are not physically connected. Nowadays users may find it easy to set up a wireless network at home or even a mobile device to stay online anywhere a wireless signal is available. However, this also gives rises to security concern, such as data leakage. Therefore, this article recommends some tips, including home wireless network setup and connection practices. Home wireless network setup
1. Change the name of SSID (Service Set IDentifier) and disable SSID broadcast Wireless router or access point always comes with a set of default SSID and administrative password for system configuration. Therefore, users should change the SSID and administrative password immediately after the initial setup. In addition, users should also disable the SSID broadcast to make the network name invisible to outsiders. 2. Enable WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2) encryption WPA2 uses Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) to encrypt wireless communications. Most of the access points can support this form of encryption to scramble messages sent over the wireless networks. Users should enable the WPA2 encryption in order to protect information over harmful injection. 3. Use MAC (Media Access Control) address filtering An MAC address is a unique physical hardware address assigned to each network interface, which is able to communicate with a network. By turning on MAC address filtering function, it can limit the wireless device with specific MAC address to access the network. 4. Use Static IP (Internet Protocol) addressing instead of DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) Static IP address is manually configured on the device while DHCP is automatically assigned the IP address by the router or access point. It will be more difficult for unsophisticated intruder to log onto the network though more effort is required to manually configure the IP addresses if the number of wireless devices is large. 5. Position the router or access point safely Home wireless network signal often reaches the exterior of a home such that outsiders can detect and explore. Therefore, it is recommended to position these devices near the centre of the home rather than near windows to minimise information leakage. 6. Enable built-in firewall on the router Modern router contains built-in firewall capability. Users should make sure that the firewall feature is always turned on to restrict unknown access to the network. Wireless network connection
7. Turn off the wireless network when it is not in use Users should turn off the wireless network when it is not in use. Furthermore, automatic wireless connection should also be disabled to prevent connecting to unknown networks. 8. Do not connect to the public or suspected wireless network It is dangerous to connect to the public or suspected wireless network as many access points may not be secured. This can put wireless communication at risk as those networks may not have proper security settings, or may pretend to be a legitimate provider. Wireless product market is growing rapidly. When using wireless networks, users must recognise security threats and take proper security measures to protect valuable information. |
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