Our world continues to shed wires. They are not gone yet, but the advances in wireless technology are starting to put numbers on their days. Wireless connections are everywhere – in business and personal life. From Wi-Fi to a cordless keyboard or mouse. They are convenient, but the danger is that anytime data travels through the air, someone is figuring out new ways to steal or compromise it.
The Plain Truth in Two Facts:
1) Wireless networks are less secure than wired ones. Sometimes things which seem logically and obviously true are not. That is not the case here. Data traveling over cables and wires is much more difficult to hack than data that travels through the air – obvious and true. However, both can be hacked.
2) Everything can be hacked. This the #1 fundamental rule of Cybersecurity. Look at it this way: Microsoft has suffered major data breaches – the most recent was in October 2022, when over 548,000 users’ data was compromised. If crooks can hack Microsoft, they can hack anybody.
If you are looking for good local IT company within the Charlotte IT Support community, just ask them if that fact is true. Anyone who says it is false is either lying or incompetent – a red flag that tells you to move on to the next candidate. Those who don’t agree with this fact generally fall into the ‘Break/Fix’ hourly rate ‘IT guys’ – not within the ranks of more knowledgeable and experienced Managed IT Services providers
The U.S. Pentagon, part of the Department of Defense (DoD), has been hacked, as well as nearly every Cabinet Department, from Agriculture to the Treasury. The list of hacked entities which should have state-of-the-art security– yet have been breached goes on and on. Nuclear Power Plants have fallen victim to hack-attacks.
High-level hackers attacking government entities and Fortune 500 companies are not the hackers who are looking for you and your information. The world of cyber crime has its own system of echelons. The lowest crooks are just out for small money - like breaking into cell phones or planting Ransomware to grab a few hundred bucks. Think of any Mafia movie: The Don is at the top, then a number of Capos, Made Guys, then simple Soldiers.
You need to worry about the mid-level hackers. Like in ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’, FedEx is too big, smartphone scams are too small, but Small and Medium-size Businesses (SMBs) like yours are just right.
This is a business and the crooks are always working, and they’re looking for you. It is a business that relies on outsourcing. Typically, the criminals who lock up your system with a Ransomware demand are different than the people who have done the ‘grunt’ work – those who break passwords or mine social media for information enabling them to gain the false trust of key employees with malicious ‘phishing’ emails.
Criminals always take the path of least resistance – that which exhibits a high probability of success. That path is in the air, not represented by cables and wiring. In the early days of wireless networks, security was not the challenge that it is today. It was new, but cyber crooks immediately started crafting ways to exploit it/ Make no mistake about it: Cyber criminals spend a lot of time and money on Research & Development (R & D). As stated, it IS a business – one that depends on staying ahead of the technology and Cybersecurity curve.
Are wireless networks less secure?
Absolutely. Wireless networks operate with the use of radio waves, and it is very difficult to contain such waves. By now everybody has heard the stories of crooks parking outside of a Starbucks or in an airport and snatching any data they want from customers using the free Wi-Fi. A crook can sit in proximity to any wireless system and grab data out of the thin air. There are devices on the market that facilitate breaking into wireless communications of all types.
In general, wireless standards do not mandate a high level of security. It is up to the business or the IT Support they use to ensure that all top-level Cybersecurity measures are in place. These days, there is no reason a wireless network cannot be as secure as a wired network providing the configuration is done correctly. This kind of expertise is commonly found in the Managed IT Services field – rather than with the cheaper Break/Fix IT crowd, where expertise and honesty is often found wanting.
The most important point is to have your wireless network – whether for home or business – set up by a qualified professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a wireless keyboard a security risk?
A: It could be – if there was any money in going that route. A wireless peripheral device like a keyboard or mouse is cumbersome to attack and offer limited success and profitability for most cybercriminals. These attacks are called MouseJacking and thus far, have not amounted to much and account for a miniscule percentage of attack tactics. As one of the Cybersecurity experts at ITFirm.com said, “Your mouse is the last thing crooks will use to hack your computer.” BUT: He, and all qualified IT support pros know that things can change in a heartbeat with the introduction of new technology – what is a hassle that provides small dividends today may be the go-to crime tomorrow.
What should be the security type for wireless network?
A: Number ONE: Encryption. All data flowing anywhere should automatically be encrypted – especially if it flows through the air. If your network is older, and not cared for by a qualified Managed IT Services provider, you may have outdated, inferior, and easily circumvented encryption. Forget about the old WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) and WAP (Wi-Fi Protected Access) – these weak earlier ‘protections’ are no protection at all. The gold standard is WPA2-AES. There is a newer WPA3 which is more secure, but many legacy Wi-Fi still do not recognize it. Recalls the old network bywords: “Update and Upgrade constantly”.
What does WPA2 AES mean?
A: It stands for WAP (Wi-Fi Protected Access) coupled with AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). This encryption method, with CCMP (Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol) presents the strongest security for wireless networks and Wi-Fi in general (your home should also use this). The ARC/CCMP configuration incorporates 2 state-of-the-art cryptographic techniques for the best modern security between a wireless user and the access point. The online PCMAG breaks it all down HERE.
Is CCMP the same as AES?
A: While they are similar and somewhat intermingled, they not the same thing. CCMP is a security protocol which uses the AES specified algorithm for encryption. As a battlefield analogy, think of it as two machine gun nests on the same side of a field but at different ends – designed to eliminate any blind spots and provide the fullest possible coverage.
How secure is your wireless network?
As a longstanding, reputable member of the Charlotte IT Support community, ITFirm.com offers a FREE, no-risk network and security assessment. We perform a non-intrusive scan that allows us to deliver a comprehensive report of the state of your system and its vulnerabilities that is yours to keep. There are no strings attached, and you are under no obligation to ever use our IT Services.
The two best defenses are next-generation Cybersecurity to protect your data from theft, and a top-notch Managed Services Provider to ensure continued reliability and defenses against newly emerging threats.
We put our 100% Money Back Guarantee in writing, so there is no risk in trying us out. Because we do not require a ‘hard’ contract, our clients can fire us at any time with 30 days’ notice. We have to be good.
Among the Managed IT services we provide:
IT HelpDesk Service
Onsite IT Support
Cybersecurity
Cloud migration and management
Email migration services
Backup and disaster recovery
VoIP phone systems
IT disposition and recycling
Office moves
White label services (IT to IT)
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