Just about anywhere you go you will find a Wireless Wi-Fi Network. Your local Starbucks, hotels, bars, and even department stores now offer customers wireless access to the Internet. The question then comes to mind; are you secured when connecting to these Wi-Fi networks? This questions especially important this time of year when everyone is out doing their holiday shopping. Whether you are at your local Starbucks on your laptop doing your online shopping or at the Macy’s using your Smartphone to help you find more information on that special item the lack of secure wireless means you need to ensure your device is secure.
If everyone has access through these networks than it’s probably not that secure. Who then bares the responsibility of securing the customers? I believe the responsibility is shared with the business offering the Wi-Fi connection and the customer who would like to frequent said establishments. From a business side, selecting the right security network device is essential as is selecting the right Wireless Access Point.
Business can look at many security solutions. When looking to secure your Wi-Fi network, I would look at solutions that can service my perimeter, internal and Wi-Fi network. Security companies such as Fortinet, and Astaro (now a Sophos company) provide secure wireless. For instance, Astaro provides a Unified Threat Management (UTM) System that can protect your business from the perimeter all the way down to your internal infrastructure then to your Wi-Fi Network. Astaro has access points, an AP10 and AP30, that directly connect to your Astaro Security Gateway. The Astaro access points can create up to 8 SSIDs. Businesses can then create a wireless security zone for themselves and a separate security zone for their customers. Everyone that connects to these access points, communication over-the-air is encrypted. The access points are directly connected to the ASG so traffic is always inspected coming into or out of the Wi-Fi Network.
Consumers must also be aware of security threats to their personal and financial files stored on their Smartphones. If you have an unlimited data plan, then why turn on your wi-fi? For those who don’t have an unlimited plan, make sure you do have some security software on your Smartphones. Companies like Symantec, Sophos, and Norton offer such protection. They will help you be secured with antivirus software clients to prevent the loss of data and services to malware. This will be important for those of you consumers checking your bank accounts on your mobiles this holiday season.
You Can Learn More About the Astaro Internet Security Product Line By Going to www.FirewallShop.com/Astaro.
The original article/video can be found at Who can help your business offer secure wireless?