Over half of internet users commit

Is your wi-fi connection insecure and vulnerable to hackers and intruders? Can someone use your wireless broadband access to download whatever he wishes without paying for it? Can criminals steal all your personal information such as credit card numbers and passwords?



The answer for all theses questions is ‘yes’, if you have not enabled the security functions that come with wi-fi routers and leave your internet access unsecure, says the recent report from Gestsafeonline. In the UK, there are over eight million users who leave their wifi accounts without adequate security protection thus becoming easy preys to wifi thefts.



According to another survey from Sophos, a provider of internet security solutions, more than half of the UK broadband users were found to have used someone’s wifi account illegally atleast once. However, only 11 of them have been punished under law, so far.

As we know, the laptops usually come with features like searching for wireless networks in the surrounding areas. This enables anyone to find out the unsecure wireless network anywhere within 50 metres radius. If mindless criminals find opportunity to grab an unsecure wifi connnection, they go for all things including downloading files, accessing illegal sites and stealing all the personal information. But, why do many people not hesitate to use someone’s wifi internet access illegally without feeling guility?



Graham Cluley of Sophos has  the answer: “I think that a lot of the general public probably view this as a ‘victimless’ crime, and are prepared to hop on board someone else’s wi-fi connection, even when they have never met the person or visited the company supplying it”.



Well, how can you find that you wi-fi connection is being used by someone?

If you are online, you can experience a sharp slow down in the speed. Sometimes, your connection may stop downloading even a simple web page.



The best way to protect your wifi connection from illegal wifi access is to configure your wireless router properly so that hackers cannot access your laptop. Secondly, setting passwords with high difficulty levels and changing them periodically will help you to prevent wi-fi tapping.