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Why go with a Wireless Security System?

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One reason to go wireless is obvious: Who wants all sorts of wires built under their house, which requires more than just the abilities of a recreational DIY enthusiast, like the old fashioned home security systems required? Not only is this a hairy, time consuming installation project, but a crook could clip the wires (if he gets into your house).

4WBenefits of Wireless

  • Installs in minutes.
  • Someone with basic DIY skills can install it.
  • All sorts of plans for all budgets.

Beware, though, that if a wireless system is not installed correctly, a burglar could get past it and doesn’t even have to enter your house to disable it.

However, do not let this turn you away, because when installed right, a wireless system has many benefits:

  • Full remote access from your smartphone or any connected device.
  • Easy install and easy removal if you are an apartment dweller.
  • Wireless systems can be as robust as wired and include security cameras.

You may be a candidate for wireless if:

  • You want to feel safer checking on the status of your home before going inside after being out for a while.
  • You have kids and must be away when they return home from school and you want to check in on them.
  • An elderly relative lives with you and you want to make periodic realtime checks.

Three Types of Wireless Connections

  • Landline. A wireless system can run through a landline, which means they are not dependent upon the Internet or a cellphone signal. It will stay activated during a power outage. Landline is cheaper than cellular or broadband wireless.
  • Cellular. Signals go to a cell tower and are faster than with landline. Seconds count in an emergency, and the faster signal means faster help. Cellular offers remote capabilities, being able to monitor your home far away on your smartphone.
  • Broadband. Instead of the signal being directed to a cell tower, it goes though the broadband Internet connection. This type of system is comparable in price to the cellular, and the signal is much faster than that of a landline connection.

Robert Siciliano personal security and identity theft expert and speaker is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen. See him knock’em dead in this identity theft prevention video.

How Can I Ensure My Social Network Interactions are Secure on Wireless?

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Privacy on social networks seems a little oxymoronic to me. We tell the world about our lives, but we don’t want everyone to knoweverything. I know many people who only want some people to share in their experiences, but those same people often friend people they don’t know. See what I mean? Anyway, it is still a good idea to lock down all your privacy settings and avoid friending people you don’t really know.

But what about security?

When using WiFi, the information that travels from your device to the wireless router can be seen/read (or “sniffed”) if a hacker has the right tools. Keep in mind that not all hackers are criminals; some are what are called “penetration testers” who use software specifically designed for seeking out vulnerabilities in wireless networks or in websites themselves. The problem here is some of the tools penetration testers use can also be accessed by criminals, making your information vulnerable to a bad guy.

Back in 2010, a (non-malicious) “white hat” hacker created a tool called Firesheep. Firesheep is an extension for the Firefox web browser that uses a packet sniffer to intercept unencrypted cookies from websites such as Facebook and Twitter. As cookies are transmitted over networks, packet sniffing is used to discover identities on a sidebar displayed in the browser, allowing the user to instantly take on the login credentials of the unsuspecting Firefox user by double-clicking on the victim’s name.

Since then, social media sites have done a much better job of securing their sites with SSL, which is short for Secure Sockets Layer, a security protocol that provides communication security over the internet. However, many sites that exchange personal or private information still use HTTP without the SSL, and numerous tools for auditing (hacking) WiFi or wired Ethernet connections exist.

To protect yourself, do the following:

  • When sharing data, always login via sites that encrypt user data using SSL, which is designated in the address bar as HTTPS.
  • Use a secure virtual private network (VPN).Hotspot Shield VPN free proxy protects your identity by ensuring that all web transactions (shopping, filling out forms, downloads, etc.) are secured through HTTPS.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to Hotspot Shield VPN. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen  See him discussing internet and wireless security on Good Morning America. Disclosures.

College Students Need to Protect Wireless on iPads

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A recent study estimated that nine out of ten undergraduate students will own a smartphone by the time this year’s crop of freshmen is slated to graduate. As this demographic grows, college students are increasingly at risk of having their privacy compromised. Mobile-using students also tend to use unprotected public WiFi networks more, which adds additional risk factors to their profile. These factors combine to transform the generation that grew up using the internet most frequently into the generation that’s the most vulnerable online.

Hotspot Shield a wireless VPN has been downloaded more than 100 million times on PCs, Macs, iOS and Android platforms. The company experienced explosive growth in 2012 and, according to Quantcast, is among the top 35 online destinations based on total internet traffic.

The new version of the popular application includes:

  • Privacy protection for anonymous web communication, browsing and sharing online at dorms, cafes and offices.
  • Twenty percent greater mobile data savings capabilities, saving users up to $30 per month in mobile data fees.
  • The ability to access US and UK TV shows and other services online by switching IP addresses—a must-have when traveling abroad.
  • A new user interface that makes it easier than ever to view bandwidth savings and manage features.

To celebrate the launch, AnchorFree will kick off a contest to help US and UK college students keep their digital lives private and secure: the Hotspot Shield College Privacy Challenge, with $50,000 in scholarship awards distributed among the top three finishing universities. During the Challenge, any college student registering with a school-provided “.edu” or, in the United Kingdom, “.ac.uk,” email address will receive a free subscription to Hotspot Shield VPN for iPhone,Android, PC and Mac for one full year—up to a $42 value. The contest begins April 1 and will run through June 9.

More information about the Hotspot Shield College Privacy Challenge can be found at http://college.hotspotshield.com.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to Hotspot Shield VPN. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him discussing internet and wireless security on Good Morning America. Disclosures.

What Kind of Wireless is Secure…and What Isn’t?

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Wi-Fi was born to be convenient—but not secure. More than anything, though, it depends more on what kind of wireless we’re talking about.

Public. Free, unsecured Wi-Fi is the least secure. Shared Wi-Fi in public, at home or in the office lacks encryption of the data packets streaming from the connected devices. In other words, your data is unlocked and free for the picking. Is the threat of data or identity thieves widespread? You bet. Your local coffee shop or airport could easily (and probably does) have a hacker sniffing out data for fun or profit.

WEP. Home or office Wi-Fi with Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption offers minimal security. This encryption is 15 years old and has since been compromised to the point where it’s basically useless. As a result, newer routers aren’t even equipping routers with this antiquated security.

WPA. Home or office Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption is better than its predecessor, WEP. WPA is a certification program that was created in response to several serious weaknesses researchers found in WEP. WPA and WPA2 are tougher to crack, but not impossible.

Mobile 3/4G. Mobile broadband has a degree of encryption that has been cracked, but the necessary hardware isn’t widely deployed by criminals. Researchers have demonstrated how the system can be hacked, but it’s still more secure than other options.

Cover all your bases by installing Hotspot Shield. A free, ad-supported program, Hotspot Shield VPN protects your entire web surfing session by securing your connection, no matter what kind of wireless you are using—whether you’re at home or in public, using wired or wireless Internet. Hotspot Shield does this by ensuring that all web transactions are secured through HTTPS. It also offers an iPhone and Android version.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft expert consultant to Hotspot Shield VPN. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him discussing internet and wireless security on Good Morning America. Disclosures.

What’s a Wireless “Sniffer” and Why Should I Care?

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A sniffer is a software program used by IT administrators to monitor network usage, investigate network problems, investigate network misuse and abuse, identify configuration issues and determine the state of a network’s security. Sniffers ultimately decode the data so it is readable in words, numbers and computer code.

Note that last part: “determine the state of a network’s security.” That is a big one. This is because while good-guy IT security professionals use sniffers to determine the security of a network, bad guys also use them to see your data as it travels from your device to the router communicating the wireless internet signal.

Unsecured, unprotected, unencrypted and sometimes shared wireless internet communications over Wi-Fi in your home, office or any publicly connected Wi-Fi (such as at a coffee shop, airport or hotel) are vulnerable to sniffers. A sniffer employed by a criminal can be used to spy on anything you communicate wirelessly. Criminals can steal your data, get your usernames and passwords, and potentially hijack your device…and your life.

The kind of data that is most vulnerable to sniffers is that which is unencrypted; this can include something as simple as files being copied and pasted or shared from one device to another. Any information coming through your browser that isn’t coming from or going to a website employing encryption designated HTTPS—the S means secure—is also vulnerable.

On wireless connections that aren’t properly secured—such as those public ones I mentioned earlier—your best line of defense is to use a virtual private network software that protects your identity by ensuring that all web transactions (shopping, filling out forms, downloads) are secured through HTTPS. Hotspot Shield VPN is a good one to use. It’s secure, free to you (supported by ads) and available for PC, Mac, iPhone and Android.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft expert  consultant to Hotspot Shield VPN. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him discussing internet and wireless security on Good Morning America. Disclosures.