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Pam Bondi, Attorney General of Florida
Attorney General Bill McCollum News Release
May 9, 2008
Media Contact: Jenn Meale
Phone: (850) 245-0150
en EspañolMedia Contact: Jenn Meale
Phone: (850) 245-0150
Print Version
McCollum Issues Consumer Advisory on Wireless Safety
~ Advisory follows warning from Federal Bureau of Investigation about wireless internet safety ~
TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today issued a consumer advisory cautioning Florida consumers about potential risks associated with unsecured wireless internet connections. The advisory, originally issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), warns consumers about hackers, viruses and other potential issues caused by using unsecured wireless connections to the internet.
“As technology evolves so do the methods of hackers and other individuals who can steal your personal information or disable your computer,” said Attorney General McCollum. “Florida’s computer users should be careful not to trade convenience of access for compromised information.”
According to the FBI, there are 68,000 Wi-Fi “hot spots” in the U.S., most commonly located at airports, coffee shops, hotels, bookstores, schools, and other heavily trafficked locations. Wi-Fi is the common name for high-frequency wireless technology; hot spots are locations with networks which consumers can use to connect their computers to the internet without a physical network connection.
While many of these hot spots have secure networks, some do not and those unsecured networks can pose substantial risks to computer users. Personal information, passwords, bank account numbers and other sensitive information can be compromised over these unsecured networks. Viruses and worms can also be transmitted much easier over an unsecured network than through secured networks.
The FBI warns that a common method used by hackers is a bogus but legitimate-looking Wi-Fi network with a strong signal strategically set up in a known hot spot for consumers to use. The hacker then waits for nearby laptops to connect and can mine the computer for valuable data, record keystrokes, unload viruses or engage in other malicious activities.
Attorney General McCollum offered the following tips to consumers to protect themselves from becoming vulnerable to attacks over an unsecured network:
- Consumers should make sure their laptop security is up to date, with current versions of the operating system, web browser, firewalls, and antivirus and anti-spyware software.
- Never conduct financial transactions or use applications like e-mail and instant messaging on an unsecured network.
- Computer users should change the default setting on the laptops so they have to manually select the Wi-Fi network to which they’re connecting.
- Disable computers’ Wi-Fi capabilities when not in use.
More information is available at the FBI’s website, http://www.fbi.gov/cyberinvest/protect_online.htm.
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