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January 5, 2007
Dear CNET members,
Happy Friday and happy new year to you all! It's great to be
back--recharged and ready to rock and roll! I hope all of you had
a great holiday. This year my son, who is now four years old,
truly understood the whole essence of Santa--he got up on
Christmas morning before any of us were awake and went to check
if Santa ate his cookies and milk. When he saw it was all gone,
he ran into our room and shouted and jumped up and down to let us
know he was here--oh, what a blast--his excitement and facial
expression were absolutely priceless! Anyway, I just wanted to
share that little moment with you, hoping that your holidays were
as special as mine. Now let's tackle the question submitted by
Kumar, who has some concerns over security when using the
Internet. To some, Kumar's question may seem trivial, but for
those who are just stepping into the Internet world, or just
getting your hands into using Wi-Fi Internet connections, or
simply never got a good understanding of some Internet security,
I hope you find this week's Q&A helpful. We received many great
and informative answers from our members, but a couple of you
individuals did an exceptional job of answering Kumar's
questions--and they just don't come better than that. So to kick
this topic off, I give not one, but two winning answers--one by
John (who is one of our veteran volunteer forum moderators) and
another by Mark who is a new entry to our wall of winners. Great
write-ups, guys! As you all know, it doesn't stop here; there are
many other valuable and informative tips and advice in our
honorable mentions and other advice from our members' sections,
so read them all. If you'd like to add any other suggestions or
tips that may not have been covered, or you have any additional
questions in regard to this topic, please join us in this week's
discussion. Thanks, everyone, for your participation!
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Member Question of the Week
Hi, I need your help in clarifying some of the Security
information when using the Internet.
1. Is it OK to leave my wireless broadband router on all the
time, even when I switch of the computer or other times when I
use other programs such as Word or PowerPoint, rather than
Internet. Could some one able to hack into my computer files
even when I am not browsing the Internet?
2. Will someone able to hack into my computer if I use the
standard firewall provided with Windows XP?
3. From the security point of view, is a wired Internet
broadband connection safer than wireless broadband connection
via a home wireless router which is encrypted?
Look forward to hear from you.
Submitted by:
Kumar
Answer by John:
Kumar, some of the greatest risks are a result of simply using your
Internet connection, for you could visit a fraudulent or
otherwise malicious Web site that steals personal information (see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phishing]Phishing) or download a
file that is infected by malware. However, even when you are
performing other tasks, such as typing a Word document, or are
away from your computer entirely, you are still at risk. As long
as your computer is connected to the Internet there is the
possibility of being hacked. The good news is that there are
things you can do to protect yourself and significantly reduce
that risk...
Submitted by:
John W.
Answer by Mark:
1. Is it OK to leave my wireless broadband router on all the
time, even when I switch off the computer or other times when I
use other programs such as Word or PowerPoint, rather than
Internet? Could someone hack into my computer files even
when I am not browsing the Internet?
The answer to someone's ability to hack a wireless router is "Yes
and no". Some can, some will, and some can be stopped easily.
There are a few things to consider before deciding on whether or
not to leave a wireless router on when not in use. You decide...
Submitted by:
Mark B.
For
John's and Mark's
efforts, we're sending them their choice of any
CNET Learning CD.
Community Buzz
 Each week we take a look at topics discussed in the forums.
Have fun and enjoy!
More from the forums
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Check out next week's question:
I downloaded Microsoft Internet Explorer 7, but would like to revert back to Internet Explorer 6. If I remove it, how can I get IE6 back? Or is there other ways to go about it? Thanks in advance for your advice.
--Submitted by:
Norma P.
If you have the answer,
e-mail us at messageboards@cnet.com.
If we choose your response, you'll get a
free CNET Learning CD.
Have a question?
• Multimedia
• Internet Security
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Do you have a wireless network setup at home?
(Please click on button to vote) |
 Yes--look ma, no wires!
No way, my data stays on land!
Not yet, but I'm considering it.
No, and I'd love one, but I don't know
where to begin.
Simple question, simple answer
Help your fellow members
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Click here to see John's full answer
