Jim Jamieson
Province
As Internet connectivity expands through wireless networks, and home and office work environments blur, malicious hackers will continue to threaten consumers and businesses alike, a computer security strategist says.
Andrew Berkuta of global-security company McAfee said wireless networks often provide a smorgasbord of opportunity for hackers — whether they are set up in the home or in metropolitan areas.
“A lot of people buy a [wireless router], plug it in and if it’s working, it must be fine,” Berkuta said yesterday in an interview.
“People have to be educated to harden up their systems, make sure their security is turned on.”
More than a third of wi-fi networks in London, New York, Frankfurt and San Francisco had basic security features turned off, according to a 2005 survey of the networks by RSA Security Inc.
The survey said companies are exposing themselves to “drive-by hacking,” where snoopers walk or drive around cities targeting vulnerable wi-fi networks. As if Internet surfers didn’t have enough to worry about, Berkuta said a feature built into some newer computers provides another potential access point for hackers.
Called “Wake on LAN,” the feature is a network standard that allows a computer in sleep mode to be brought up to full power remotely and asked to complete tasks.
If not configured properly, it can leave a computer vulnerable to hacking, Berkuta said.
Berkuta said that because so many home computers are now being used partly for work activities, the advice for both businesses and consumers is similar: Use an up-to-date security product that addresses every type of threat.
© The Vancouver Province 2006
