Airport setup security question.

[rKunda]

My wife and I just moved. At our last location it was a non-issue, but now that we're located in a complex we have some really close neighbors.

In setting up my computer I was without net access for a wile until my ISP pulled some levers and flipped the right do-dads. In the middle I looked to see if there were any other wifi networks I could join. There were about 8—all locked.

This got me to thinking (never a good thing). When I set up my wifi network, is there any real harm in leaving my network open?

First, I'm not concerned about someone else using my internet to do x or y and having the FBI knock on my door.

I'm also not too concerned about slowing my speed or anything. I don't do much that requires a fast connection.

I'm really only concerned about any real threats to my own personal machine or data.

Thoughts?

 

[waw74]

would you leave your windows and doors open, all the time, even if no one is there to watch the house? Talking security here, not taking weather into account.

with your network open, someone can basically plug directly into your computer. depending on how you have file sharing and security set up, people could access your files.

I've also had (although on a windows machine) a worm infect my entire network. I had been doing some testing with something on the network, so i had one machine totally open to the internet. that machine got infected, and infected all of the other windows machines on the network. Didn't have to click or open anything, just being connected was enough. If someone with something similar connected to your network, the same could happen.

Chances are no one will cause harm, but just for peace of mind i would.

also use a WAP not WEP password.
WEP is fairly easily broken, and the people that are more likely to be able to break it, are the ones who are more likely to cause mischief.

 

[Bakkalohriat]

First, I'm not concerned about someone else using my internet to do x or y and having the FBI knock on my door.

I'm really only concerned about any real threats to my own personal machine or data.

😱

Considering that in certain circumstances you can be held liable for what is done on your network, I would say leaving your network unsecured is a serious threat to your person. When you had no internet, the first thing you did was to check to see if there were any open networks. The next person to do that might see yours and abuse it. Setting up WPA2 only takes a minute in AirPort Utility, so I see no reason not to do so.