Broadband users open to 'piggybackers'

According to a recent survey, many wireless broadband connections in the UK are not secure, leaving the connections open for use by Wi-Fi hijackers.

Figures released by National Statistics Online have shown that internet connections are now a fixture in most UK households, with 65% of all homes now online. According to a recent survey by moneysupermarket.com, many of these are wireless broadband connections, the majority of which are not secure.

The survey found that only 15% of users with wireless broadband have a protected router, leaving them open to ‘piggybacking’ – where users connect to the internet via someone else’s broadband connection. Consequences of this seemingly innocuous activity can include identity theft, fraud and illegal downloading.

According to the research, over 5 million adults (11%) have connected to the web via somebody else’s connection in the past year. Despite these high figures, consumers are often careless – with one in seven failing to protect their router with a password.

Half of the 11% of respondents who admitted to piggybacking say they have used someone else’s connection to check emails and surf the web. 12% of piggybackers go further – using a connection without permission on a daily basis, regularly downloading music and films.

Aside from security issues, unwittingly sharing your connection can lead to slow speeds and possible charges. If your ISP imposes a download cap, having an additional user who won’t be paying the bill means it’s more likely this limit will be reached. 

James Parker, commercial manager for broadband and mobiles at moneysupermarket.com, said in a statement: "This is a worrying trend and shows some people have no conscience when sitting in front of their monitor behind closed doors.

"The consequences can be severe. It's bad enough your neighbours can use your internet connection freely but this becomes far more threatening if someone uses your connection for criminal or improper activity."

Moneysupermarket.com suggests the following methods for beating broadband pirates:

1. Password protect your wireless internet connection with non-dictionary words and numbers.
2. Check that your router uses WPA rather than WEP encryption.
3. Know your download limit and what that translates to (i.e. five music albums).
4. Make sure you have appropriate security software and firewall.
5. If you have children, consider using parental controls as well as password protection for the router.

Although XLN Telecom does not impose a download limit on its business broadband packages, we strongly advise that you protect your connection, in the interest of security and speed. Routers provided by XLN come with instructions on setting a password, but should you require further assistance, do not hesitate to contact us.

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