Network Repair near me Ashford Kent. KRACK Wi-Fi Security Issue. If you are looking for the best computer Network repair and Internet Repair near me in Ashford Kent and the surrounding communities of Kennington, Willesborough, Kingsnorth, Brabourne, Sellindge, Charing, Pluckley, Ham Street, Aldington, Mersham, Wye, Hothfield, Goddington, Little Chart, Brook, Egerton, Challock, Shadoxhurst and Hythe consider Flag Computer Repair, your fastest choice. Affordable Computer Repair Service. Local, mobile service. Industry certified. Free Collection.
New ‘KRACK’ Wi-Fi Security Issue: This Affects All of Us
The invention of Wi-Fi has been a science fiction dream come true. We can use our laptops anywhere in the house, our phones are using home internet instead of sucking down our cellular data, and our gadgets are all communicating. It’s essentially the backbone of the smart tech boom for home and business alike. Most networks are password-protected with an encryption called “WPA2” and this has been safe and secure, until now.
Recently, a security flaw called KRACK was discovered that allows hackers to break into Wi-Fi networks – even the secured ones. Your laptop, mobile phone, gaming console and even your smart fridge are possibly vulnerable as a result.
How KRACK works: The Key Reinstallation AttaCK isn’t a problem with your device or how it was set up. It’s a problem with the Wi-Fi technology itself. The attack gets between your device and the access point (eg router) to reset the encryption key so hackers can view all network traffic in plain text. Since we rely on Wi-Fi so much, this might mean hackers have a front row seat to your credit card numbers, passwords, chat messages, emails, photos and more.
NOTE: The hacker must be in physical range of your Wi-fi to exploit this flaw, it doesn’t work remotely like other attacks we’ve seen recently. Given most Wi-Fi ranges extend well past your own home/business, this is small comfort, but important to know.
How to protect yourself
Run your updates: Software updates are being released which fix the flaw. Microsoft has already released one for Windows, Apple has one coming in a few weeks. Take a few minutes to make sure you’re up to date with all your patches on any device that uses Wi-Fi (your smartphones, laptops, tablets, PCs, game consoles, etc). Unfortunately, some devices may be slow to get an update, or if they’re older, may not get an update to fix this issue at all. If possible, consider using a cabled connection on those older devices or upgrade to one with support.
Be very careful with public Wi-Fi: While your local business center, library or school campus has expert IT professionals keeping guard over your security, it’s a very different matter at your local coffee shop. It’s unlikely small locations such as this will be on top of security patches. Remember, a hacker exploiting this flaw only needs to be in the same Wi-Fi area as you, so be careful you don’t give them a dollop of private information with their coffee.
Check your browser security: Before sending anything secure over the internet, check you’re using a HTTPS site. You’ll know these by the little padlock you see next to the URL, and the address specifically begins with HTTPS. Major sites like Facebook, Gmail and financial institutions already use HTTPS.
If you need help updating your devices, or want us to check if you’re safe, give me a call at 07976 151 148
I’m sending out FREE computer tips and tricks updates twice a month, here is an example. If you subscribe via THIS LINK I’ll give you a free guide to the “Top Ten Tips for Staying Safe Online” + FREE eBook “Spectre & Meltdown- How will it affect me”
The best way to recover from a compromise, malware or system failure is to have a backup.
I can provide a backup service to protect you from losing your photos and documents It will also help to protect you from Ransomware. You will be getting;
- An Industry leading brand
- I will manage and monitor to ensure you are protected.
- I will provide, install and support the backup software
- Free back recovery
- Fully encrypted to protect your data
- An external drive is included (if required)
If you get the backup service as part of my Total Protection Plan, I also offer FREE virus recovery.
Does your current provider offer that? Have you even got a backup? I offer this service from £10 per month. Contact me for more information
I can help with:
Computer Repair
PC Repair
PC Tune-up
Virus Removal and Repair
Network Repair
Computer Monitoring Service
Data Recovery
Data Backup
New Device Setup
Computer Training
Printer Repair