If you have a wireless router in your house then you should read on; if you don't (yet) have a wireless router in your home then you might want to read on anyway to be better prepared for the day when you will get one.
The Technology Reseller Channel CRN published a US-CERT warning concerning most wireless routers that I want to translate into hopefully easier to understand language.
By far most of the wireless routers sold in the last two to four years contain a feature called WPS. WPS is meant to make it easy to connect wireless devices to the router by using the WPS button on the router. Basically the router transmits the encryption code (often erroneously called wireless password) wirelessly to the device you want to connect.
The WPS protocol used for this process has a design flaw. This flaw allows a knowledgeable attacker to break into your wireless network.
Millions of wireless routers sold over the last few years have WPS capabilities built in and thus are opening your wireless network to potentially being hacked into. Generally WPS is by default turned ON.
What can you do about it? There is only one way to stay safe from this risk:
Turn WPS off!The way to do this is different for every router model out there. You will have to delve into the documentation for your router and find out how to do it in your specific piece of hardware.
If you are not comfortable with doing this kind of technical setting then you can let me know, I will be happy too help.
As usual I welcome comments and suggestions right here in the blog. Thank you in advance.
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