Small Town Wireless (non)Security

The small town I live in was a friendly town when I left 25 years ago and it is even friendlier now that I am back. You have to be gone for quite some time to appreciate the qualities of small towns. It is the simple things like the wave I get when driving down the street or someone pulling over and asking me if I need a ride when I'm out for a walk.

One thing I greatly appreciate is that I can go almost anywhere in my town with my laptop and get wireless Internet access – free and unsecured. It also upsets me. That's like leaving your keys in your car that’s running and then going on vacation – you're just asking someone to jump in and take off. By leaving your wireless unsecured and/or unencrypted you're just looking for trouble. Things can happen like identity theft, access to your bank accounts or records, access to your personal correspondence and of course just plain and simple access to your bandwidth. Your system is also open to all kinds of Internet infections.

You have seen the commercials about what can happen with identity theft so I don't need to say anything about that. Access to your online banking accounts gives me a chance to line my pockets with your money. Reading your emails – do you want me to? Using your bandwidth allows me to download all the movies and music I want and I don't have to worry about getting in trouble because it's not my IP address being used, it's yours and you are responsible for what goes over your IP, so thanks for letting me get those new movies.

How can you stop me from doing any of this stuff?

First thing you need to do is make sure you have secured your wireless router and how to do that is explained in most all manuals that come with them. The standard router user IDs and passwords (www.routerpasswords.com – just to let you know in case you can't find yours) are known to all of the hackers out there. If your manual doesn't tell you how, take a look at this info so you can get it done right.

Secondly, you need to make sure you have a minimum of security software installed on your PC including a two-way software firewall, one active antivirus, one on demand antivirus, and one antispyware. Which ones you use are up to you, there are many out there that you have to pay for and there are many (just as good) free ones.

And lastly (for now), practice safe surfing! Keep your software up to date. Keep that finger off of the mouse button when you see an interesting link on some website that says, "You have won an XBox360!" Don't open those attachments in emails that you have no idea who they are from. Keep in mind the acronym PEBKAC (Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair) and you will realize the solution to Internet security starts with you and even a little bit goes a long way!

So my lovely little small town, quit being so nice to me and make me pay for my own Internet and don't let me use yours.