Unknown Dangers of Wireless Networking
February 7, 2011
Protecting you and your family from online predators can take on a whole new level of meaning when it comes to your wireless network. For those of you who don’t know what wireless security entails, it basically means that you must have a password in order to use the wireless signal being sent out from a wireless network router. Having security implemented on your own home wireless network is crucial, as a whole new level of insidious behavior is erupting from one of the worst types of criminals: child pornographers.
Several instances have emerged over the past few years where child pornographer drive around looking for unsecured wireless signals and using that wireless network to download their illicit materials via a laptop computer. Should this activity be discovered and the network activity traced back to the source, your home’s IP (Internet Protocol) address would be the point of origin– leaving you vulnerable to criminal prosecution, as “probable cause” for your arrest would be your home’s IP address which leads back to you and your network. Proving that you weren’t the one who used your network to download the illegal data can be problematic, as proving that you don’t own or use the device that accessed that data is nearly impossible.
Aside from a child pornographer, another culprit for this type of unsanctioned downloading activity is someone that downloads illegal copies of music, movies, or software. All too often, you can find someone in the next apartment or home piggy-backing on your unsecure wireless signal to download their “free” games, movies, or worse. With the RIAA cracking down on such illegal downloading, your IP address would be the one they traced as being the source, and again, you have exposed yourself to potential litigation.
Your best defense is to enable wireless security on your network. Using WPA or WPA2 security is built in to every wireless router you can buy, and setup isn’t too difficult. If you need assistance with setting up your wireless security, I can recommend the services of Bayou Technologies, a local small business that has serviced my business and personal computing needs for several years. For Lake Charles computer repair and wireless networking for both Macs and PCs, give them a call.
Don’t get caught with your guard down! Enable wireless security on your wireless network and avoid getting accused for something you didn’t do.
