Wi-Fi is now everywhere; whether it’s at home, work or public places such as the gym, coffee shops or airports. The degree to which these are secure depends on a number of factors and where these are located. If they are at home or work they are likely to be more secure than using public Wi-Fi.

With all forms of Wi-Fi however there is some degree of risk:

Home/Work
Home or Work internet is not secure it could mean that others have access to your internet allowance/connection, slow down your connection, or even worse, access the (sensitive) information which you are also accessing and steal this.

Securing your wireless network:

• Ensure your network is password protected
• Change the default password

Check the encryption level of the router – WPA2 as minimum

Public Wi-Fi
The risk with Public Wi-Fi comes with the fact that many do not require a password to access them and if they do, you do not know who else is using the connection.

Risks
Anyone could be connected to the router at the same time as you, watching what you do.
A criminal may set up a spoof hotspot which you connect to thinking it is a legitimate Wi-Fi connection when in fact all your traffic is going through their computer for them to read.

Safely using Public Wi-Fi

• Do not send personal information over Public Wi-Fi unless you know it is a secure webpage.
• Use reputable hotspots where possible.
• Businesses who want to access their corporate network should use a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

Remember:

• Business information can also be stolen by shoulder surfing.
• Don’t leave devices unattended.
• Use anti-virus, firewall, passwords and update these regularly.

#WiFiSavvy Campaign

Wi-Fi has arguably been one of the greatest advancements in technology in recent years but it is also one of the most vulnerable as it opens up gateways for cyber criminals on a range of levels. When we think of Wi-Fi we often think of the routers at home and work but increasingly, businesses providing a service in particular, offer Wi-Fi to customers.
Public Wi-Fi raises a range of questions which should be looked into especially if you are a business owner including:

• Is your router regularly updated?
• Is your router well encrypted?
• Do customers require a password to log onto your router?

If you are a business operating away from the premises, there are a number of ways in which you can secure your systems and devices. Please see the ‘Public Wi-Fi’ advice sheet for more details.

Warwickshire County Council’s #WiFiSavvy Campaign

Warwickshire County Council is working with Trading Standards and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner to promote the safe use of Public Wi-Fi.

The Campaign aims to help businesses increase their security but also enables them to offer a more secure place for customers to do their browsing. As a business you will need to acknowledge the following:

1. We have changed the admin password of our router from its default setting.
2. We have disabled remote management to the router completely.
3. We are committed to using reliable encryption (WPA2 as minimum)
4. We ensure that our router is regularly updated with its latest software. We will supply an advice sheet if your business requires assistance in adhering to these.

If your business adheres to the above, we will provide a poster and window sticker which can be displayed to show that you have taken steps to make your Wi-Fi more secure and also has advice for customers when using Wi-Fi.

If you as a business follow/would like to follow the 4 simple steps outlined above and would like to receive a poster and window sticker to promote the fact that you are thinking of your customers’ online security please get in touch via the contact details on the Warwickshire Business Watch website.