Over the past two days, I've been writing about the TJX data breach indictments and, specifically, the use of wardriving and why accessing wireless access points provided such a seemingly easy way for them to get into large corporate environments and download valuable customer data.
As I've been thinking about this case, it's brought to mind all of those random wireless networks you can detect if you have a desktop or laptop configured to locate and access wireless networks. If I can see them, certainly a wardriver could too.
According to drivers.com, a wireless router in a home or business typically has a range of as much as 150 meters. The site goes on to say that "the serious war driver is out there using sophisticated tools to break through the encryption barrier that is supposed to keep your computer secure. The software tools to do this are often available free over the Internet."
The Network Administrator.com offers these 8 tips for Wireless Home Network Security:
- Change Default Administrator Passwords (and Usernames)
- Turn on (Compatible) WPA/WEP Encryption
- Change the Default SSID
- Disable SSID Broadcast
- Assign Static IP Addresses to Devices
- Enable MAC Address Filtering
- Turn off the network during extended periods of non-use
- Position the router or access point safely
I would encourage you to read more details on each of these by going to the Network Administrator link above.
In addition to these 8 tips, US CERT, the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, which was established in 2003 to protect the nation's Internet infrastructure, offers detailed documentation on-line on establishing Home Network Security.
In addition to what you can do inside your house to make sure your network is secure, look for cars parked or idling on your street that are unknown to you, especially at night when the wireless access point may still be live, but you may either be away or asleep.
One practice that preceded wardriving is known as warchalking, where a chalk mark was left when an accessible wireless network is detected. If you see unusual chalk marks on the sidewalk outside your house, that aren't the kind the neighborhood children might leave, this might be worth further investigation.
Why should you care that someone is "borrowing your network?" Well, some wardrivers might be just trying to save themselves a DSL bill, but many today are after the same information that the wardriver's named in the TJX indictments are. If you are doing financial transactions online or use a software application to track your financial accounts, including banking accounts and investments, it is likely that your account numbers and even user name and password may be stored in a way that's accessible. Consider what could occur if someone was to use that information for their own personal gain?
Don't take a chance. Use the information above from both The Network Administrator and US-CERT to ensure that no one can unintentionally or maliciously remove your personal information from your home computer or even access your company's network if you use a desktop or laptop at home to VPN in to your office. Yes, it may mean a little more work for everyone at home to log-in and log-off your systems, but, in the end, it is a small price to pay to keep your family's vital information, particularly regarding finances, safe and secure.
Contributed by Mark Tordoff
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