does the wi-fi affects the security of the information stored?

Answer 1

Every time you log on to a public Wi-Fi access point, you are transmitting your login name and password over open airwaves, and often a credit card number as well.
Each piece of Wi-Fi gear possesses a unique identifier called the "physical address" or "MAC address." Access points and routers keep track of the MAC addresses of all devices that connect to them.
In Wi-Fi networking, the access point or router typically broadcasts the network name (SSID) over the air at regular intervals. Fortunately, most Wi-Fi access points allow the SSID broadcast feature to be disabled by the network administrator.
Modern routers contain built-in firewall capability, but the option exists to disable them. Ensure that your router's firewall is turned on. Additionally, consider installing and running personal firewall software on each computer connected to the router for extra protection.
Most home networkers grativate toward using dynamic IP addresses. DHCP technology is indeed quick and easy to set up. Unfortunately, this convenience also works to the advantage of network attackers, who can easily obtain valid IP addresses from a network's DHCP pool. Turn off DHCP on the router or access point, set a fixed IP address range, then set each connected device to match. Use a private IP range (like 10.0.0.x) to prevent computers from being directly reached from the Internet.

Answer 2

The wireless access point provides no technological protection from unauthorized use of the network. Many business and residential users do not intend to close (secure) their access points but to leave them open for other users in the area. Some argue that it is proper etiquette to leave access points open for others to use just as one can expect to find open access points while on the road.

Measures to deter unauthorized users include suppressing the AP's service set identifier (SSID) broadcast, allowing only computers with known MAC addresses to join the network, and various encryption standards. Access points and computers using no encryption, or the older (pre-2003) Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption are vulnerable to eavesdropping by an attacker armed with packet sniffer software. If the eavesdropper has the ability to change his MAC address then he can potentially join the network by spoofing an authorised address.

WEP encryption can protect against casual snooping but may also produce a misguided sense of security since freely available tools such as AirSnort can quickly recover WEP encryption keys. Once it has seen 5-10 million encrypted packets, AirSnort will determine the encryption password in under a second.[6] The newer Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and IEEE 802.11i (WPA2) encyption standards do not have the serious weaknesses of WEP encryption.

Recreational exploration of other people's access points has become known as wardriving, and the leaving of graffiti describing available services as warchalking. These activities may be illegal in certain jurisdictions, but existing legislation and case-law is often unclear.

However, it is also common for people to unintentionally use others' Wi-Fi networks without explicit authorization. Operating systems such as Windows XP SP2 and Mac OS X automatically connect to an available wireless network, depending on the network configuration. A user who happens to start up a laptop in the vicinity of an access point may find the computer has joined the network without any visible indication. Moreover, a user intending to join one network may instead end up on another one if the latter's signal is stronger. In combination with automatic discovery of other network resources (see DHCP and Zeroconf) this could possibly lead wireless users to send sensitive data to the wrong destination, as described by Chris Meadows in the February 2004 RISKS Digest.

In Singapore, using another person's Wi-Fi network is illegal under the Computer Misuse Act; A 17 year old has been arrested for simply tapping into his neighbor's wireless Internet connection and faces up to 3 years' imprisonment and a fine

Answer 3

These day its not true that wi fi affects the security of you system because these days OS as well as wi fi use encryption technology that helps you in protection.

Answer 4

Any networked PC compromises the security of its data.

Here are some sites with helpful security tips :

http://security.getnetwise.org/tips/wifi

http://compnetworking.about.com/od/wirelesssecurity/tp/wifisecurity.htm

http://www.jiwire.com/wi-fi-security-traveler-hotspot-1.htm

regards,
Philip T

Answer 5

WiFi does make you more vulnerable, seeing as you don't even have to physically plug into the network. Once people are on your network it is much easier for them to exploit you, and compromise data from your system. Conclusion: it does make you more vulnerable, but if you have WPA + Mac Address security the chances are extremely low.

Answer 6

It depends on whether or not your network is secured. An unsecured network is accessable to anyone withing range (usually several buildings away). I would recomend at the very least using WEP protection for your network.