'Safe computing' encouraged

As growing technology cuts the cord on the necessity of wires, relying on an unseen connection to keep your computer safe may make some people uneasy about pulling the plug.

Karen Hanley, senior director of Wi-Fi Alliance, a global non-profit organization for wireless Internet, said wireless increases productivity and allows flexibility in location for doing work online.

"It's a very cool technology and it's life changing," Hanley said.

Hanley encourages users to practice "safe computing," for example, by enabling security measures on their computer or wireless device and avoiding an unsecure or unknown network, especially when doing sensitive business online like banking. A secure network requires a password to use the connection, which usually requires a service agreement with the provider or patronage of the place providing the service. Hanley compared it to drinking water.

"If you're thirsty, you can buy a bottle of water and expect more quality and taste," Hanley said.

With free Wi-Fi, you may compromise on the speed of the connection and may need to take secondary precautions, she said.

But computers don't just connect. The consumer is in control, Hanley said. The person, not the computer, decides which wireless network to connect to.

If a Web site lacks a valid certificate, it will ask users if they are sure they want to connect to the site.

"It's asking you to make a conscious decision," Hanley said.

Wireless security reaches beyond the realm of laptops, however. Charlie Miller, principal analyst for software security at Independent Security Evaluators, investigated the security of the newest Apple craze, the iPhone, an Internet-accessible mobile device. Results of the investigation were published on its Web site, and Miller presented the technical results at a security conference in July.

"All these devices present a risk in the same way," Miller said.

If they can surf the Web or read e-mail, they're processing data, he said. The iPhone and computers are no different - they're both sending information through wireless access points.

"You should only use access points you trust," Miller said.

One problem with the Web browser for iPhone was fixed with an Apple-developed patch. Hackers had discovered ways to take over the phone and its function with administrative privileges.

The threat of information on the iPhone being accessed versus information on a computer being accessed depends on the user, Miller said.

"Your computer can have nothing, or your whole life on it," Miller said.

Like a computer, however ,you choose the network to which your iPhone connects.

"You're definitely prompted to click on one of these things," Miller said.

One new attack by hackers is throu gh the Web browser, which when hacked can allow others to search inside your network, Miller said. Precautions to protect your network can include changing the default name of the access point and the password.

While the threat of jargon such as spam (the junk mail of e-mail), phishing (a threat to bank accounts), and viruses, (computer "illnesses") remain for wired and wireless alike, the future will incorporate more electronics with Wi-Fi. Hanley said within your house in the future, your camera, TV, stereo and gaming console will be able to "talk" to each other with Wi-Fi. Cell phones with Wi-Fi are projected to reach 325 million by 2011, she said.

"Who would have thought there would be Wi-Fi on a camera?" Hanley said.

Hanley said it's especially important that Wi-Fi-certified products are able to work with each other.

People are already attached to the new technology.

Hanley said 80 percent of people polled say they would give up their iPod or coffee rather than their Wi-Fi. Even with football season on the horizon, Hanley said about 80 percent would rather see their favorite sports team lose than lose their Wi-Fi.

Jim Clark, who owns Mug.com in Muscle Shoals with his wife, Cindy, said Mug.com provides a password to use wireless within the business with the purchase of a cup of coffee.

"There's always someone in here every day with their laptop," Clark said.

He said they have customers living in rural areas who come to the business to use wireless for downloading files quickly and before going home and work with the files, rather than wait on a slow dial-up connection.

"We're a blessing to quite a lot of people with that situation," Clark said.

Clark said he bought a wireless router when he noticed the demand for it three years ago, but has seen an increase in users in the past year.

Despite the growth, Clark said some people just don't like change.

"They'd like their Folgers," Clark said.

Wireless internet may be the wave of the future, and is a technology that will blanket cities and developing nations, Hanley said. Navigating the Internet without the anchor of wires, while taking the right precautions, can keep your information safe and your computer afloat.

Sarah Day Owen can be reached at 740-5728.