KUZZ Radio and Wireless Internet Security

I was recently contacted by Suzanne Grant of the KUZZ news department. She asked me to provide information for a story on wireless internet security. The interview took place over the phone and was spliced into several segments which aired over two days.  I was happy to help, and I was impressed with how easy Suzanne made the interview process.

This is not a transcript, but here are some of the tips we discussed for protecting yourself on the internet:

Router Encryption and Pass phrase

• Protect your wireless network with Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). Select a long pass phrase, not a single word, but a phrase. Unless someone knows this phrase he or she will should not be able to access your network. More on that later.

SSID and Password Protection

• Change your router’s SSID. This is the identifying name you will give to your router. When your look at your computer’s list of available wireless networks, you will be able to differentiate your wireless signal from that of your neighbors. Change the default password–most companies use “admin” or “password” as the default router password. If you don’t change it, anyone (neighbors and war-drivers) can access your router and change the settings.

Anti-Virus

• Whether you choose one of the big brands or one of the several excellent FREE anti-virus applications available for download on the internet, have one. Keep it updated and use it regularly.

Browser Cache

• Even if you set your browser cache to clear automatically, make sure to delete your cookies and temporary internet files often. I clear my browser cache several times per day.

Public Wireless Access

• Just because you pay for access to the internet at your favorite coffee house, don’t assume you data is protected. Although your files should be safe, that does not mean someone can’t literally drive up beside you and hi-jack your cookies while you’re on the internet. Just be aware that someone owns the network on which you are surfing.

When it comes to internet and wireless security, these tips are merely scratching the surface. Several more things can be done to avoid compromising your privacy on the internet… a pop-up warning your computer “might” be infected… a happy looking smiley face asking you to download more happy looking smiley faces… an e-mail client that filters everything but spam email… avoid these and you will be fine.

The bottom line is this: If you are experiencing a slow computer, blue screen errors, relentless pop-up ads, and the like… If someone has installed a peer to peer file down- loader on your computer for the purposes of downloading music… If you can’t connect to the internet until you spend $100 to download a spy-ware removal tool you didn’t know you needed… If you experience any of those things, you most likely have a computer virus.

We can help you with that. Kern Tech Support is known for computer virus removal along with internet security training and data recovery. Call Kern Tech Support at (661) 304-5934. We’ll help you keep from losing your important data and we’ll get your computer running like it should.