To Leave Your Wi-Fi Network Open or Not-What Are the Risk?

When I was first confronted with this dilemma, my initial reaction was; Are You Crazy? I had read (but never really met anyone) the horror stories of others whose computer systems had been compromised, pc's being hacked, secret backdoors being established, internet connections being used as remote spam bots. There was no way I was going to allow this to happen to me. My answer was a definitive; NO! My greatest fear was exposing my data to evil doers.

Now I know better. There is more danger and potential harm possible by leaving you personal computer unprotected from spyware and virus intrusion than leaving your Wi-Fi network connection unprotected. Understand, I am not saying an unprotected network connection is infallible. There is a risk that someone can use your network for some nefarious activity. Using software known as packet sniffer this is possible, however; in actuality, that methodology is rather complicated. It is of the professional Internet Technology level and honestly, why would a professional, highly paid IT technician want to steal information, gain illegal access, or hack into your computer? There are much more interesting and profitable system to look into. Hackers go after big targets.

Secondly, with a few mouse clicks, you can deny access through network connections to your personal computer files. With a little bit of smart computing it is easy to protect your PC from intrusion, without investing any additional money. Windows Vista is loaded with intrusion prevention options; User Account Control (UAC) prevents unauthorized people and programs from taking control of your system. Windows Firewall protects your PC from outside attack. Windows Service Hardening limits access privileges, thus curtailing spyware and virus infections. Microsoft Phishing filters guards against fraudulent emails and website. Unfortunately you must have Microsoft's Vista operating system to access these security options. By activating them you make your system more secure and less vulnerable to wireless network attack.

The ultimate decision for or against leaving your Wi-Fi network open is security. You want to make sure your computer can not be attacked. Some of the signs to look for to determine if your system has been accessed without permission; Is there an unusual amount of hard disk activity, even when your PC is not being used? Is your browser accessing the internet without your control? Are you receiving an unusually high amount of email? Are you missing files from your hard drive? Are there lots of pop-up windows launching when you browse the internet? Is your PC sluggish or your internet connection slowing down and web pages taking a lot longer than usual time to load or download? If you answer yes to most of these questions chances your computer has been attacked. But the attack may not have necessarily been generated by a network intrusion. Regular internet browsing and email reading can generate system attacks which will cause these problems if your system is not properly protected against virus and spyware infection.

All of this was said, to say, an open Wi-Fi network connection is not a security risk. We do not live in a 100 percent safe world, but there is no need to lock down everything. Leave your Wi-Fi open, share the wealth. I did. It has been over five years now and I have not had a single problem.

Resource: Personal Experience

Tags: Wi-Fi, network security, personal computers, free internet access, Wi-Fi hotspots