What WEP Does-and Does Not Do

The Good News and the Bad News

That's the big picture on security. The bad news is that it's impossible to make a networked computer completely secure, and it's difficult to make a Wi-Fi equipped network even middling secure. The Department of Defense has issued a directive to the military, essentially advising them not to use wireless networks. They have a lot to lose, as do banks, big corporations, and organizations like the RIAA with hordes of enemies in the hacker community.

On the other hand, the risks to you as a home office worker or small business owner are much less, largely because the really expert hackers up at the tip of the hacker pyramid don't have any reason to go after you. Protecting yourself against the great mass of script kiddies and drive-by-hackers isn't difficult and should be done as soon as you install your wireless network. The next two chapters will allow you to do this without losing a lot of hair.