Partner Article

How to guard against internet attacks

Imagine it’s a beautiful, sunny Saturday afternoon and you’ve decided to catch up on some work whilst sitting outside your favourite pavement cafe. Without thinking twice, you would probably log on to the cafe’s wireless network and begin working on your client files, company accounts and any other data which is commercially sensitive, or even legally confidential.

You’ve probably done this dozens of times without realising that by accessing wireless networks in this way you are leaving yourself open to having this private information stolen and used in a way which is detrimental to your company or your customers.

Millions of people take advantage of various phone providers’ networks of wireless hotspots, but it’s far easier than many people imagine for criminals to steal personal or company information, access confidential files and passwords, and potentially run up huge bills.

Recent research has shown that not only can official networks be vulnerable to fraud, but it’s easy to set up fake but official-looking wireless gateways with a £50 portable router, and encourage the public to connect, before accessing all types of personal information, including passwords, payment information and other confidential data.

If in doubt, speak with the provider to find out precisely how their networks are labelled. You should also be aware that it is a legal requirement of wifi hotspot owners to record the details of users logging on, so alarm bells should ring straight away if you are not asked to provide this information.

With that in mind, there are a number of steps you can take to prevent being caught out by unsavoury people trying to steal confidential information.

The most important step in preventing fraud is to be aware that the problem exists and to always keep this in mind when using wireless networks. Signs to look out for are poorly spelled, grammatically incorrect or wrongly formatted network names, which could be an indication someone has set up a fraudulent service posing as a legitimate wifi network. If in doubt, speak with the provider to find out precisely how their networks are labelled.

Security software that includes a strong firewall can help to guard against some kinds of attacks, whilst a good antivirus programme should be able to identify any malicious files which may be installed remotely on a device. Protecting your phone and tablet should be just as important to you as protecting your laptop.

Use a virtual private network (VPN) to connect to the internet. This is the easiest way to safely connect to the internet when you’re out and about, as it encrypts your connection. You should also ensure you select the option to log on securely when checking email away from home – this means no cache will be stored from your session.

To ensure you always log on securely from your phone whilst away from the office, you might want to consider a data contract with unlimited access to the internet. If you are accessing the internet fairly frequently whilst out and about, this is a good option as it will mean you won’t need to access wireless hotspots at all, unless you are in an area which doesn’t have a 3G or 4G connection.

Switching off your wireless setting when you’re not using it will prevent your phone from connecting automatically to unknown hotspots when you’re mobile. It will also save your battery life.

Be smart about the type of internet activities you complete when you’re away from a secure wireless network. Bank transactions, online payments and sites requiring passwords and user names should be avoided as entering this data into your phone leaves you vulnerable to this information be recorded and stolen as you enter it.

Finally, ask yourself if it’s something you really need to do then and there, or if it’s something which can wait until you return to a secure connection, such as 3G and 4G or your office. The majority of the time, these things can wait, so why risk a cyber attack?

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mike Odysseas .