The Tekblog

I was contacted by a 13 News reporter recently and asked if he could interview me for a news story they were doing. This story was in light of Google’s recent admission that they collected data about unsecured wireless access points while taking pictures around Hampton Roads for Google’s “Street View” service. Long story short, the interview never happened, but I wrote this brief article to go along with the story:

Many wireless routers available at local big-box stores are unsecured right out of the box. The reasoning for this is that the less complicated the manufacturer can make the configuration of their product, the less potential frustration for the end user – but this is a double edged sword as ease of use and security tend to be mutually exclusive.

Some simple things you can do to secure a wireless router are as follows:

1.) Change the default configuration.

This should be the first thing you do with a new router. Every manufacturer ships their devices with a default username and password as well as a default SSID (which is the "name" of your wireless network). Change the password and wireless SSID (or name) in the router’s configuration. Many routers will include a CD that will help you to configure these parameters. If you have questions, consult the manufacturer for specific instructions.

Also, its never a good idea to name your wireless network based on your address, business name or last name. This just gives any potential attacker even more information. Its always best to use a non-identifiable name.

2.) Enable encryption -

All wireless routers will support some kind of encryption. The three most popular are WEP, WPA and WPA2. Of these three, WPA2 is the most secure. WEP and WPA have some inherent technical weaknesses that can allow, even a novice hacker to circumvent relatively easily (which, in this case is very relative). Encryption can be enabled either by accessing your router’s configuration interface via a Web Browser from your computer or by using the manufacturer’s supplied CDs. Enabling encryption will prevent the casual would-be thief from accessing your wireless network but as the old adage goes, where there is a will, there’s a way – which is a resonating undertone to all things computer security related. For businesses or individuals dealing in highly-sensitive information, basic encryption is not enough. Businesses should always consult an IT professional before setting up wireless access to their computer networks and/or information systems.

Doing these two things will go a long way to secure a person’s home network.