The 7 Deadly I.T. Sins: Unsecure Wi-Fi
Over the next 7 months we’ll be featuring a segment called The 7 Deadly I.T. Sins. We’ll review the “I.T. sins” that every business owner should know about and why they are so important.
This month’s “sin” is unsecure Wi-Fi.
Most businesses have a wireless network for laptop computers and mobile devices. Unfortunately, many businesses leave their networks unsecured or use minimal Wi-Fi security, because they either lack the technical know-how or they’re unaware of the danger.
Here’s just one example that illustrates the dangers of unsecured Wi-Fi. If a customer visits your office and connects to your Wi-Fi they could potentially access your company’s private data without your knowledge.
To prevent threats like this, it’s important to make sure you are doing the following:
- Use strong network passwords. Weak passwords can be easily hacked by experienced thieves.
- Avoid using WEP authentication. WEP is old fashioned and easily broken with the right software. Use WPA2 instead.
- Finally, use a business-grade device. In our experience, many businesses use consumer-grade routers that don’t offer the necessary security measures for a business. Upgrade your device to protect your data.
Failing to protect your wireless network can open the door to serious threats. You can learn more about avoiding these threats by following our segment on The 7 Deadly I.T. Sins in the coming months.
