Switchfast Blog: The Future of IT
The Dangers of Using a Public Wi-Fi Network
Friday, February 05, 2010 by Matt Hymel
Wi-Fi networks may be plentiful, but they sure aren't the safest
connection to the internet. Open networks like Wi-Fi have no client
protection which leaves them open for wireless hackers. While most
consumers are aware of this fact, they continue to utilize free
Wi-Fi throughout their relative locations.
A speaker at the Black Hat conference, Mike Kershaw, a security
researcher and developer of the Kismet wireless network detector
and intrusion-detection system, explained how simple it was to
infiltrate and take control of Web browser caches.
He explains that "once the cache is poisoned, it will stay
there," meaning the attacker will have the ability to manipulate
and present a fake Web page to the victim when accessing specific
sites or even access internal pages by shipping them to remote
servers once connected to a VPN. Kershaw suggests these two
solutions:
- Continuously clearing the cache, manually
- Using private-browser mode
How will this affect businesses? Wi-Fi users, specifically those
using company laptops or mobile devices, carry the potential
"poison" from the open network to their company's private network.
Kershaw goes as far to instruct professionals to try and "forbid
users from taking laptops onto open networks."
Hit the link for the round up.
Until next time -
Matthew Hymel
Switchfast Technologies
Chicago IT Consulting
& Support
Rochester
IT Consulting & Support
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