Protect Your Computers from Terrorists access - Tips from Dheeraj Sanghi ( IIT Kanpur ), Director of the LNM Institute for Information Technology, Jaipur.

The Telegraph September 15, 2008 How to guard against Wi-Fi terrorism

G.S. MUDUR

New Delhi, Sept. 14: The next time militants send out a terror message, it could bear the tag of your computer unless you take steps to secure your connection. The Indian Mujahideen hacked into the Wi-Fi Internet connection of a Mumbai engineer’s wife to send yesterday’s terror email to TV offices, Mumbai police said today. “We did not feel the need to secure or password-protect our Internet connection,” said Sarika Kamath, from whose Internet Protocol address the email was sent. “But now it has become a necessity for all citizens to secure their connections.” Network security experts say this is especially true for those who use the wireless Wi-Fi networks to access the Internet. WHAT TO DO Activate a firewall, a barrier built out of software Disable file and printer sharing Choose secure connections — networks that require a security key Change default passwords Turn off computer after use Wi-Fi networks, now available in Calcutta, are particularly vulnerable to security breaches because they use radio waves and make it possible for unauthorised users to hijack unprotected connections, the experts say. Wired networks are usually better protected. Besides, to slip into a wired network, the hackers would require some kind of physical access — to the computer, the wires or to the network’s server. But they could gain access into an unprotected wireless network from anywhere within the range (typically a few tens of metres) of the wireless network device. “The onus of security in wireless networks lies with both the network providers and end-users,” said Dheeraj Sanghi, a network specialist with IIT Kanpur and director of the LNM Institute for Information Technology, Jaipur. The network provider should use a “key” — a rather long sequence of characters, much like a password — to authenticate a user, Sanghi said. Such a key enables the user and the network to identify each other. Microsoft provides these tips for working securely in a wireless world: Activate a firewall, a barrier built out of software, that prevents unauthorised users from gaining access to the computer through the Internet or a network. All Microsoft Windows operating systems come with a firewall which can be turned on. Disable file and printer sharing. When this feature is enabled, it allows other computers on a network to access resources on the computer. When using a mobile computer in a wireless network, it is best to disable file and printer sharing. Choose secure connections. When possible, users should opt for wireless networks that require a network security key. A computer discovers the security features of networks as it scans its environment for networks. More wireless security tips from other experts: Change default passwords. Most wireless access points come with default passwords that can be picked up online. Changing these passwords makes it harder for an unauthorised user to take control of a computer. Turn off wireless devices when you are not using your computer. Even with wireless connectivity, a computer has to be switched on for an intruder to access it. A computer that is turned off cannot be invaded. Link