Latest Threats to Home Wireless networks

If you’re planning to move to a wireless connection in your home, take a moment to consider what you’re doing: You’re connecting a device to your DSL or cable modem that broadcasts your internet connection through the air over a radio signal to your computers. If traditional wired connections are prey to security problems, think of the security problems that arise when you open your internet connection to the airwaves. The following sections describe some of the threats to home wireless networks.

Piggybacking:
If you fail to secure your wireless network, anyone with a wireless enabled computer within range of your wireless access point can hop a free ride on the internet over your wireless connection. The typical indoor broadcast range of an access point is 150 to 300 feet. Of course in outdoors, this range may extend as far as 1,000 feet. So, if your neighborhood is closely settled, or if you live in an apartment or condominium, failure to secure your wireless network could potentially open your internet connection to a surprising number of users. Doing so invites a number of problems:

• Service violations: You may exceed the number of connections permitted by your internet service provider. 
• Bandwidth shortages: Users piggybacking on your internet connection might use up your bandwidth and slow your connection. 
• Abuse by malicious users: Users piggybacking on your internet connection might engage in illegal activity that will be traced to you. 
• Monitoring of your activity: Malicious users may be able to monitor your internet activity and steal passwords and other sensitive information. 

Direct attack on your computer: Malicious users may be able to access files on your computer, install spyware and other malicious programs, or take control of your computer.

Wardriving:
Wardriving is a specific kind of piggybacking. The broadcast range of a wireless access point can make internet connections possible outside your home, even as far away as your street. Savvy computer users know this wireless network range, and some have made a hobby out of driving through cities and neighborhoods with a wireless equipped computer sometimes with a powerful antenna searching for unsecured wireless networks. This practice is nicknamed as “wardriving.” Wardrivers often note the location of unsecured wireless networks and publish this information on web sites. Malicious individuals wardrive to find a connection they can use to perpetrate illegal online activity using your connection to mask their identities. They may also directly attack your computer, as noted in the “Piggybacking” section above.

Unauthorized Computer Access:
An unsecured wireless network combined with unsecured file sharing can spell disaster. Under these conditions, a malicious user could access any directories and files you have allowed for sharing.

Facebook replaces "Hide All" button with "Unfollow"

Facebook popular social network site has replaced its "Hide All" button with the more succinct "Unfollow," letting users block all messages and posts from selected friends.

As with the previous button, it gives users the option of blocking content from certain people without offending them, say through de-friending. The latter alternative severs ties with that person on the social network, without notifying them.

"This means you are still friends, but updates from that person won't appear in your News Feed. The goal of this change is to help people curate their newsfeed and see more of the content that they care about," according to Facebook news.

The world's largest social network is constantly tweaking its newsfeed the main page users look at on the network often by reducing clutter, especially from advertising, and bringing to the surface or revealing the posts deemed most relevant to any particular user.

Facebook began rolling out the "Unfollow" button and a related change to its users on Monday. It added a "Following" button next to the usual "Like" button on a page or next to the "Friends" button on a personal timeline, which will also enable users to block posts.

Traffic Light Protocol (TLP) Matrix and FAQs

The Traffic Light Protocol (TLP) is a set of designations used to ensure that sensitive information is shared with the correct audience. It employs four colors to indicate different degrees of sensitivity and the corresponding sharing considerations to be applied by the recipient(s).

Red:

When should it be used?

Sources may use TLP: RED when information cannot be effectively acted upon by additional parties, and could lead to impacts on a party's privacy, reputation, or operations if misused.

How may it be shared?

Recipients may not share TLP: RED information with any parties outside of the specific exchange, meeting, or conversation in which it is originally disclosed.

Amber:

When should it be used?

Sources may use TLP: AMBER when information requires support to be effectively acted upon, but carries risks to privacy, reputation, or operations if shared outside of the organizations involved.

How may it be shared?

Recipients may only share TLP: AMBER information with members of their own organization who need to know, and only as widely as necessary to act on that information.

Green:

When should it be used?

Sources may use TLP: GREEN when information is useful for the awareness of all participating organizations as well as with peers within the broader community or sector.

How may it be shared?

Recipients may share TLP: GREEN information with peers and partner organizations within their sector or community, but not via publicly accessible channels.

White:

When should it be used?

Sources may use TLP: WHITE when information carries minimal or no foreseeable risk of misuse, in accordance with applicable rules and procedures for public release.

How may it be shared?

TLP: WHITE information may be distributed without restriction, subject to copyright controls.