Recent news of the FBI sting operation that led to the arrest of an innocent Buffalo man has many wireless users scrambling to secure their wireless networks.  After neglecting to password protect his wireless router, a Buffalo, NY homeowner learned the hard way that signal from his newly purchased WiFi router had been pirated by a neighbor that was using the internet toprocure illegal material.  federal law enforcement agents armed with assault weapons raided the Buffalo man’s home only to realize that the man they’d suspected of downloading child pornography was, in fact, innocent.

For the next three days, federal agents conducted an investigation of the man’s iPad and desktop computer only to ultimately realize that his next door neighbor had in fact been utilizing his unprotected wireless router signal.  As the investigation wound down, the Buffalo homeowner did reluctantly recall that he’d grown frustrated with the setup of his router and had opted out of password-protecting his signal altogether.

As stories like this continue to perpetuate all across the country, the National Security Agency recently released a document aimed at personal wireless network security, entitled:  Home Network Security Best Practices.  The document can be found at the NSA website:  www.nsa.gov and includes many helpful hints for steps that homeowners can take to keep their home network systems safe.

Within the NSA’s document, the agency recommends proactive security measures such as utilizing sophisticated passwords, using SSL encryption on the web, keeping your operating system and applications updated, and remembering to install and run security software regularly.

As a highly acclaimed network security provider, NSG, Inc. recommends that you take these protective steps to ensure the safety and security of your home network.  Peter Streips, founder and President of Network Security Group, Inc. recommends that users also change their passwords at least once a year in order to maximize your security strategy.

In order to ensure that you avoid an unexpected visit by federal agents in the early morning hours, it is imperative that you take steps necessary to secure your home network.  Network Security Group, Inc. will work with you to identify specific brand-name products and combine those products with a complete service offering to deliver solutions that meet your unique network security requirements.