Millions of people in the UK are still failing to secure their internet connections, according to a recent report, leaving them open to ‘piggybacking’, whereby other people surf the net using your internet connection.
Many households have installed wireless broadband in recent years, attracted by the flexibility it offer. Wi-fi allows you to access the internet wirelessly within a given range, for example from anywhere in your home. However, if you fail to secure your internet connection with a password or passnumber, people nearby could gain access to the internet at your expense.
The survey found that one in nine people have used someone else’s internet connection without permission, yet one in six households still do not protect their wireless router from internet theft.
While 46% of ‘piggybackers’ said they use other people’s connections to check emails and browse the web, 12% said they hijack someone else’s connection every day, regularly downloading content to their own computers. Four out of ten broadband deals have a download cap, and charges are high if you exceed this limit, so if someone hijacks your connection, you may receive an unexpectedly hefty bill at the end of the month. Hijackers could also use your connection to download obscene or politically extreme content, something which you could end up being charged for under new laws.
The first step you should take to protect your wireless connection is to give it a password containing both letters and numbers. Find out what your download limit is and what that means in real terms (e.g. 6 albums, 2 films etc), and make sure you have appropriate security software and a firewall installed. If you have children, consider using parental controls which limit the sites they can access.
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