Techville.CA (613) 822-2234 Computers-Laptop-Network Repair-Service

Ok, I know it is convenient for sure, but you are aware that there is no security right?

Whether you are using your home wi-fi or the local Internet hotspot, you should be aware that EVERYTHING you type, click or watch can be viewed by someone else who may be watching you and almost certainly is.

Maybe you think, it is too difficult?

Deep Tech stuff that so few can do?

Google “how to hack WEP or WPA” and you will find out that the average person with a basic PC or laptop can hack these encryptions in less than 10 minutes …. yes really!

What is really scary, is that the software to do so is all free to anyone!

When you are using wireless in a public location and for that matter in your own home

Many are watching and logging everything you do… YES really!

YOU LITERALLY ARE IN A PUBLIC PLACE!

A Hacker-Cracker would have to be close to get you ?

I have a friend who purchased an amplifier and a small antenna (total cost under 500 dollars) and is connecting regularly to a network 15 miles (not kms) from his house. Since he has permission to do so this is not a problem. Thank God he is one of the good guys huh?

Food for thought.

For further information or to secure your wireless network properly….

Click to Contact Techville Ottawa

Ask Techville Ottawa About Network Security Evaluation

Now …. Get out the popcorn!

How to Access someone’s PC over a (wifi) network, using just the local IP

These kids are just hacking a neighbours email for fun, but it’s not much of a stretch to get WAY more important information than that!

Ignoring security on a business LAN because you don’t see any hackers in the building is a BAD idea. Do you have security on your office doors? Did you forget about the Microsoft Windows?

ONE EXAMPLE OF WI-FI HACKING

THERE ARE BETTER WAYS TO DO IT – MUCH MORE STEALTH!

Do your windows computers crash regularly do you have to reset your Cable or DSL modem often?

Techville can Configure:

VPN Connects to Office PC then Remote Desktop

Some professionals such as Accountants, Lawyers, Real Estate Agents require privacy, but must use Windows on their machines due to speciality software demands such as AccPac, PC-Law, DivorceMate. If in their travels a Windows laptop is lost, stolen, damaged or just plain quits it can be a HUGE security problem.Or they may the become infected with a Virus-trojan-spyware-malware the passwords-usernames are all accessible and a network breach much less laptop hijack could be under way/ on their Windows laptopsAt Techville we recommend that if security is that much of a concern, that you use VPN to connect to your office PC and use Remote Desktop instead of the laptop programs themselves.

Addendum

This article was originally written in 2002.

I just reviewed it and while most of the information remains true its become an epidemic problem.

I used to be pretty careful about who acquired the knowledge required to hack network. Now apparently it is general knowledge amongst anyone in the world with youtube … sigh.

By the way the Good Guys (Hackers not Crackers) practice the art using integrity and permission; We call it Network Pen Testing.

Perhaps I am overly paranoid but this hacking can be as harmless as creating unstable environment with your current business computers (great for Techie pay-checks, or at worst could be defrauding your company of funds, surfing kiddie porn or our worst nightmare those Bin Laid Dan radicals!!

Things to make you a little safer….

You can do a few things to make sure your security is not compromised when using wifi and for that matter a wired network connection.

ALWAYS make sure that there is a secure password on your computer Administrator account. Most times you have to go in safe mode at least once to create it. Even if they get access to your hard drive as in the youtube video below, they will not be able to access ANY data without that password. BY DEFAULT WINDOWS LEAVES ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT HIDDEN AND BLANK ! YIKES! Too many Windows Techs ignore this.

ALWAYS make sure that you are using a secure password on your Windows login. I know it is easier to just hit enter, but it is also easier to leave your car unlocked and windows down all the time.Make use of the Windows firewall. While it is not very good, it will help deflect some bad traffic.Remember when surfing the net, that unless you are on an httpS:// site; your data can be watched and logged with little effort. In fact http:/remoteexploit.org and insecure.org will provide the hacks required to decrypt those too for the real die hard hacker.

Most laptops now come with wi fi enabled. Your employees are coming in to work, plugging in to the network and logging on to access the server, shares and so forth. Problem is that often times the wi fi card is on by default. This means that it is broadcasting as an avaliable access point for anyone else with wi fi to enter in to your network. If an outsider can establish a wi fi connection to your accountants (left on by accident) laptop, then they may now have access to your internal network! Same also goes for some desktop models.TURN OFF YOUR WI FI WHEN AT THE OFFICE. If you do not know how, consult your laptop user manual, but many models now come with a button on the PC that allows you to switch the device on and off.

Call Techville Ottawa

(613) 276-9066 for a free consultation on how you can work safely using your office-business computer like you were sitting at it; while “on the road” for work.