Trouble when you go to Starbucks?

There has been a problem that we have known about for a bit that is getting press now.

Let’s say you are sitting at the local coffee shop or what have you, browsing the web, accessing your bank account, etc..

How sure are you that the wireless signal you are using is from that establishment and not the upstairs neighbor who happens to be a cyber criminal copying your usernames and passwords as they go through his wireless network?

Yes Virginia, it CAN happen.

We have had clients with wireless connection troubles, and came to find that the trouble was that their computer was completely ignoring their own wireless router, and using the neighbor’s instead.

It does not matter that you use encryption - encryption can be broken just like a piece of wood can. Sure, if you have a bigger piece of wood, it will take more to break it, but it will break if one wants it to.

For more data on this, you can look at TechWeb’s article.