A recent survey we conducted in our own town of Burlington, CT uncovered approximately 420 wireless networks with live, always-on beacons announcing their presence to allow users within the home or place of business to easily connect to their networks. Of this number we know that 285 or 71% were completely unsecure! As highlighted recently by 60 Minutes and Fox 61
Special Assignment, the problem of unsecure wireless networks is a national epidemic. Our own survey was conducted weeks before either of these news stories aired and reported on in the free SurfSafely.com newsletter.

If yours is one of these unsecure networks, at best what it means is that it's "Open Season" on your Internet service for ANYONE within range. At worst, your computer files including any personal information you have stored there may be totally accessible to an intruder with very little effort. What most fail to appreciate is their wireless networks do not stop at their exterior walls. With the proper antenna an intruder can be as far as several blocks away and still gain access to your network! You would never know until it was too late. And beside the casual hacker, think about the eye in the sky and ask yourself - Do you really want to chance leaving your door wide open to their scrutiny?

In this particular study, our act of simply detecting the presence of networks and identifying their properties violated no laws. It is the legal equivalent of walking down a street and noticing someone standing naked in front of their living room picture window without the shades drawn. In an instant the pedestrian knows some basic information about the person in the window whether he likes it or not. He instantly knows the gender, gets a good idea of their ethnicity and learns a little bit about their endowments. While the person in the window may be mortified that someone saw them, who is really at fault, the pedestrian for noticing or the person in the window for failing to take even the most basic steps to protect their privacy? One cannot be held liable for learning at least some secrets of another if the other does nothing to protect them and, as in this case, can arguably be said to be flaunting. Wireless networks are quite the same way. They shout to the world "Here I am! Connect to me!" Who are we not to hear their screams?

In our study we collected no personal information; made no attempt to intrude. But, the fact remains that we could have, and we cannot guarantee that others will not. It frightens us to think that so many people leave themselves so vulnerable by simply trusting that the manufacturers of their hardware would set them by default to provide at least some measure of protection. What we have seen in fact is exactly the opposite. Not all but the vast majority out-of-box wireless networks have no protection enabled whatsoever. That must change and we can help you.

Safe-PC evolved as a natural extention of our work at SurfSafely.com, a world renowned family friendly web directory launched in September of 1999 with strict policies regarding content and resources to help users of all ages stay safe online. Through Safe-PC we are able to offer a full range of in-home and small business computer services to fit every budget.

• Home network security audit (less than 5 networked computers) - $250. Includes a detailed report of your network weaknesses, installation of firmware upgrades and reconfiguration of the hardware to prevent unauthorized access. Small business network security audit (5-25 networked computers) - $750. More than 25 networked computers - Please call.
  
  
• Home computer security audit - $150 per computer. Includes installation and configuration of Spyware removal and prevention software, firewalls and antivirus. We'll even sit down with you and show you how to use it! Business price is $250 per computer.
  
  
• If you'd like to try it yourself, for $39.95 we also offer a do-it-yourself package that includes all of our favorite software tools on CD and step-by-step instructions how to install, configure and maintain them. If you later decide it really is too complicated to do yourself we will credit your entire purchase toward our service fees to do it for you.

Call Safe-PC toll free today at 877-7SAFEPC
(877-772-3372) or contact us by email.

Safe-PC is more than just our name. It's our mission.

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