Wireless Threats: Is Your Broadband Secure Enough?

Internet use in Malaysia is at an all-time high and is still growing, and broadband adoption is rapidly spreading along with mobile connectivity. In this environment of increasing digital interconnection, security threats are likewise growing in number.

As an active broadband user, you at least need to know the threats and the preventive measures available to pre-empt them.

Increased Risk, Improved Security

Findings from industry leaders and research institutions like Alcatel-Lucent are showing signs of an increased number of security threats to broadband networks, both fixed and mobile. Data points out that the wireless threat trend is growing with telling statistics, including:

●     10% of home networks have been infected by Malware in the second quarter of 2013

●     6% of home networks were shown to exhibit high-level security threats, including rootkits and Trojan banking viruses

●     0.5% of mobile were invaded by Malware in the second quarter of 2013

Compared to data from the previous quarter, the numbers indicate a rise in threats to broadband networks. The research was conducted in Europe, but the same analysis would apply especially for a boisterous and dynamic market full of technologically-agile users like Asia.

These security threats are being used by hackers to perform illicit activities ranging from the simply annoying, like spamming, to the devastatingly dangerous, like personal identification theft and espionage.

Broadband Gateways

Broadband networks are 500% more prone to security threats compared to other forms of internet connectivity, including dial-up. Hackers typically perform three general activities when breaking into wireless networks:

●     Use them as stepping stones to perform more attacks

●     Use them to store illegal copies of software or digital goods

●     Launch waves of unsolicited activities (spamming, illegal information collection, et al)

Malware, viruses, and hackers share the same “gateways” to attack your broadband connection or network. Some of the most common entryways include:

●     Phishing – Ever received a suspicious email claiming to be from your bank, asking for personal information? Phishing is nearly as old as email itself, but modern variations can be very complex, making it difficult for the layman to see it for what it is. Some phishing setups even buy official-sounding domain names and setup email addresses from them and then contact people.

●     Cookies – Cookies are your browser’s way to track your internet surfing activities to make sure it keeps your preferences for websites you visit regularly. Unfortunately, because cookies can store information like passwords and other similarly telling data on your activities and behaviour online, they are also usually targeted by hackers.

●     Spyware, adware, malware – All of these virus-ware are designed with devious endeavors: spyware spies on your computer activities, adware collects information on your behaviour online so it can spam you with ads, and malware is generally any piece of code intent on causing harm to your computer in any way. All of these can be gateways into your broadband network.

●     Ports – Your computer interfaces with other devices connected to it via “ports,” and a single computer can have thousands of ports. A good number of them connect to your network, and each one is a vulnerability that can potentially be taken advantage of.

These are just a handful of examples, and hackers are usefully ready to exploit them all and more to get what they want.

Implementing Measures for Tighter Wireless Security

It’s not all hopeless, gloom, and doom for your broadband network. Your firewall, your anti-virus, and the individual efforts implemented by your trusted websites and service providers all counter and pre-empt any malicious attempts to compromise your network or your computer.

For your part, the first step is to arm yourself with knowledge on how these wireless threats affect you, and how they work, so you can prepare properly. If you know how a phishing scam works you’re less likely to be victimized, right?

Beyond that, however, there are always best practices you can adhere to so you can ensure that you are part of the fight against these wireless broadband threats:

●     Faithfully install and upgrade software, apps, games, and anything installed in your device. These patches and updates are typically offered free by providers, as they are also constantly fighting against broadband threats.

●     Always use a firewall. Your firewall is your sifter that screens potentially dangerous information and stops it from ever going into your computer or network. You have a network firewall and a computer firewall, at the very least. You can control its settings to allow trusted data to always pass through, which still provides sufficient flexibility for good security.

●     Deploy an anti-virus. Anti-virus providers always try to keep abreast of developments in the industry, and are always updating their databases so your software always knows about the latest viruses or other threats to your security.

●     Use an Intrusion Detection System (IDS). An IDS does exactly what it sounds like: it provides warnings about potential attacks or illicit entries into your system. It can also monitor critical areas of your computer or network.

Ask your service providers for more information and more options to prepare yourself against wireless threats to broadband security.

Ian G. Elbanbuena is a blogger and infopreneur who writes on various topics mainly finance, web security, network connections, broadband plans and other technical topics . At present he works as marketing staff at comparehero.my, Malaysia's leading comparison website. This portal helps individuals in making the best decision by comparing rates from different  finance providers.