Join WatchGuard in Making Wi-Fi Security a Global Priority

Posted July 30, 2019

Wi-Fi is everywhere, from crowded airports to your favorite local coffee shop. Hackers, looking to commit malicious deeds, are always searching for ways to exploit vulnerabilities in the network. That’s why Wi-Fi security is a priority for all businesses.

Since the beginnings of Wi-Fi in 1999, threats to network security have been a concern. Using easily accessible tools and a variety of homegrown methods, hackers can easily stake their claim to incoming and outgoing Wi-Fi traffic, stealing you and your customer’s data from any device that’s connected to the network.

Worse yet, they can lay waste to your digital assets, implementing viruses and programs that work quietly in the background, often undetected by all but the most sophisticated anti-virus software. These data breaches can lead to catastrophic expenses, fines, and brand image rebuilding. Your customers trust and expect that you are keeping their information safe. A lapse in that trust can be disastrous.

That’s why WatchGuard is teaming up with businesses across the country to secure and protect their Wi-Fi. From their official page:

“You need a f, a framework for building a complete Wi-Fi network that is fast, easy to manage, and most importantly, secure. Your employees, vendors, and guests rely on you to keep them safe, and it is your responsibility to be knowledgeable about Wi-fi security risks and how they impact your organization.

In 2019, we started a movement dedicated to pursuing industry cooperation in building Wi-Fi security standards to protect everyone from these six known Wi-Fi threat categories into all Wi-Fi ecosystem technologies. The Trusted Wireless Environment movement benefits all vendors, service providers, businesses and consumers of Wi-Fi and seeks to solve this massive security problem with technology so that the weakest link in the security chain, us (the users), isn’t a part of the equation.”

With a Trusted Wireless Environment, you can protect yourself and your users from some of the web’s darkest threats.

The Six Known Wi-Fi Threat Categories

Hackers across the globe use six common Wi-Fi hacks to gain access to your data and put your users in danger.

Rogue Access Point

Hackers can easily plug a cheap access point into your Wi-Fi router to gain access to your point-of-sale systems. Once they’ve hacked in, they can reveal and steal credit card information.

“Evil Twin” Access Point

If you login into online banking, use your credit card number or review confidential data using public access points, hackers can trick you into connecting to their SSID. When you enter your credentials or credit card numbers, you’re sending them directly through to the hacker, who can then sell the information on the dark web.

Rogue Client

Have you ever noticed that your phone automatically connects to Wi-Fi networks in places that you’ve been before? You could unintentionally bring malware and viruses into businesses without your knowledge and without having the authorization to connect to their network. At that point, your cell phone is considered a “rogue client.”

Neighbor Access Point

Logging into a nearby Wi-Fi network to bypass workplace policies, such as website blocking? Doing so puts your company’s network at risk. Hackers like to hook into public Wi-Fi networks, such as coffee shops and retail stores, just waiting for a neighboring company device to connect. Once you do, they can access private data stored on the device.

Misconfigured Access Point

Are you into the DIY movement? Leave configuring your Wi-Fi to the experts. Incorrect or incomplete configurations can leave you leaking company data to anyone who is looking for it.

Ad-Hoc Network

Have you ever shared company data with another device within the company through an unapproved or untrusted file sharing system? Doing so puts you in danger of security and legal implications that could cause security breaches and data loss.

Partner Up with WatchGuard for Wi-Fi Security

Sign the petition today to help WatchGuard partner with organizations such as the Congressional Wi-Fi Caucus, WiFiForward, PCI Security Standards Council, Wi-FiNow, IEEE, and Wi-Fi Alliance to help build security standards for businesses around the world. Collaborating with leaders in the WiFi sector and partners across the nation will make the world a safer place.

Kevin Willette

Kevin Willette is Partner / CEO of Verus Corp. His focus is ensuring complete customer satisfaction and providing as much or as little support as is needed for the individual client. Kevin knows that plenty of places do IT services, but what sets Verus Corp apart is the local feeling and the commitment to doing things right the first time. He has always wanted to be a business owner because it affords him the opportunity to offer a service that was better than anything clients had seen before. His true goal is to help customers make their businesses better by removing potential IT barriers. Kevin served as chair for Habitat for Humanity during his time at Minnesota State University, Mankato. He has also served on the WatchGuard Advisory Council since 2016. Kevin’s work with Verus Corp has helped them achieve awards as the WatchGuard Partner of the Year and Cisco Select Partner. Kevin graduated from Minnesota State in 2000 with a major in Business Marketing and minors in Business Administration and Music.