Internet Caucus Wireless Leader Urges Consumers To Secure Wi-Fi Connections
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Washington, D.C. November 4, 2003 - The Internet Caucus Wireless Task Force today urged consumers to take basic security precautions with their wireless Internet connections. Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA), co-chair of the Wireless Task Force, noted that despite the explosive consumer adoption of Wi-Fi, few home Wi-Fi users take even the most basic precautions to protect their computers and networks. "The potential facing the wireless Internet is by any measure enormous," said Congressman Honda who represents parts of tech-focused Silicon Valley, "Taking steps to secure your home Wi-Fi connection can help it reach that potential."
Fearing that isolated violations of home wireless networks could erode public confidence in the technology, the Internet Caucus's Wireless Task Force issued basic tips for consumers using Wi-Fi. Tips include:
- Learn about the risks and accept responsibility before sharing your Wi-Fi connection with people you don't know or trust.
- Change your base station settings from their default user IDs and passwords.
- Use a password that's hard to guess but easy to remember.
- Set and encrypt your wireless network password, if you want to close your network to strangers.
- Be careful about sending very sensitive information over a Wi-Fi network - make sure your Web transmissions are encrypted with SSL or you're using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
- See more details at http://security.getnetwise.org/tips/wifi
Congressman Honda also expressed worry that Wi-Fi users could unwittingly contribute to copyright infringement by leaving their Wi-Fi connections open to "drive-by music downloaders." Conceivably, a music pirate could park in front of a Wi-Fi user's home, tap into the open wireless network, access a peer-to-peer network and wirelessly download hundreds of dollars of copyrighted music - without leaving a trace. Industry and policymakers need to examine more closely the rights and responsibilities of Wi-Fi users and Wi-Fi providers alike. "We are at a critical juncture in the development of the wireless Internet," said Honda. "A little education may be just what we need to make technologies such as Wi-Fi trigger the next technology boom."
This issue will be explored at an Internet Caucus Advisory Committee event ("Wireless Security: An Oxymoron") on November 4 at noon in room B-339 of the Rayburn House Office Building (press welcome). Additional information on computer security is available at http://security.getnetwise.org.
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