How to keep your Wi-Fi traffic secure and the data snoops out (Video)

You wouldn’t think of leaving your car in a public lot with the keys in the ignition. So why would anyone leave their wireless network open to snoops and criminals? That’s an invitation for someone to drive off with your data (or your car). Sadly, many businesses don’t use secure encryption on their Wi-Fi networks, making them ripe for a data breach.

James Lyne, Global Head of Security Research at Sophos, tells you how to protect your wireless network in the video below. James explains that up to one-third of Wi-Fi hotspots aren’t properly encrypted: they are either totally unencrypted or use weak encryption. Watch as James uses a simple hacker trick to crack weak WEP encryption on a wireless network.

As James says, quite often branch offices and remote workers are using unsecured wireless accounts, jeopardizing the whole business.

Tips for securing your wireless network

It isn’t hard to set up security for the wireless router in your basement: change the SSID, pick a strong password and perhaps install VPN software for remote access. But securing wireless networks in a business environment is much more demanding.

We’ve got some simple and easy-to-deploy security tips to help you secure your wireless network. Download our free whitepaper, 5 Tips for Securing Your Wireless Network, to learn how to balance security, manageability and accessibility for employees and guests. We’ll also explain how you can achieve your security goals with Sophos UTM wireless access points.