Unprotected Broadband Communications

Broadband is wide bandwidth data transmission which transports multiple signals at a wide range of frequencies and Internet traffic types that enables messages to be sent simultaneously, used in fast internet connections.

Broadband commonly refers to high-speed Internet access that is always on and faster than the traditional dial-up access. 

Broadband includes several high-speed transmission technologies such as:

    Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)

    Cable Modem

    Fiber

    Wireless

    Satellite

    Broadband over Powerlines (BPL)

Whenever a computer is connected to the Internet, there is risk of unauthorized access. When a dial-up connection is used, the risk is decreased because the duration of the connection is short for most users. For most users dialing into an Internet Service Provider (ISP), the user receives a different IP address with each logon. To penetrate a system connected via dial-up, an intruder would need the host’s current IP address and would have to compromise the host in a relatively short period of time before it was disconnected.

With dedicated broadband connections, a computer is connected to the Internet—and capable  of sending and receiving data Even though a user may be using the  machine only a few hours each day, the machine remains connected to the Internet and therefore vulnerable to attack.

Certain dedicated connections, particularly DSL lines, use dynamic IP addresses, similar to the way dial-up connections operate. While this may reduce the risk of an attacker targeting a specific user, it does not significantly reduce the risk to the average user. Most intruders arbitrarily scan the Internet for vulnerable systems. If a computer is powered on in the morning and powered off at night, the IP address will remain the same during the entire day.

An attacker who finds the machine during a random scan may potentially have several hours to penetrate the system.

An unsecure wireless connection is one you can access without a password. Public networks offered in places like cafes are often open. Although these provide free wireless Internet access, using public Internet comes with dangers.

The two types of public networks are ones that are left open by businesses and ones that are left open by individuals.

An open network from a business allows customers to use the Internet in the establishment -- such as coffee shops.

An open network in a home comes from a router that hasn't been secured.

Risks of using public networks

1. Theft of Personal Information

One of the most serious and common threats is theft of personal information. Personal information comes in many forms:

• Login credentials
• Financial information
• Personal data
• Pictures

If a hacker gets access to your computer or other personal devices through a compromised public WiFi connection, they could have free rein over everything stored. Once hackers obtained your details, they can log in to your personal pages and cause damage to your finances and reputation. If they don't get full access to the data on your computer, they could still intercept information you are sending over the Internet.

2. Man-In-The-Middle Attacks

A man-in-the-middle attack happens when someone "impersonates" a legitimate public WiFi service to trick you into connecting.

3. Unencrypted Connections

When you connect to a website that supports encryption, the data that goes back and forth gets encrypted using a secure key. If someone were to intercept that data without the possession of the key, they wouldn't be able to read it - the data would look like unreadable computer code.

When you are connected to a public WiFi network, anyone within range of your computer can intercept everything you send or receive. If you are connected to an unencrypted website, it will all be fully readable.

4. Packet Sniffing / Eavesdropping

Anyone connected to the same WiFi network as you can eavesdrop on what you send and receive using a tool called a packet analyzer or packet sniffer. These tools provide the possibility to view everything transmitted over the WiFi network, provided it is not encrypted.

5. Malware Distribution

Another threat that can occur while using public WiFi, is the implementation of malware on your device. Malware exists in many forms:

• Viruses
• Worms
• Trojan horses
• Ransomware
• Adware

If someone on the same public WiFi as you has bad intentions, they could plant malware on your computer if it is not protected properly. A suspect WiFi provider could use the hotspot itself to infect your computer with one or more of these threats.

6. Session Hijacking

Session hijacking is another public WiFi security threat. In this case, an attacker intercepts information about your computer and its connection to websites or other services. Once the attacker has that information, he can configure his own computer to match yours and hijack the connection.

Security in unprotected broadband communication

i. Use a Virtual Private Network – the information is encrypted

ii. Choose SSL(Secure Socket Layer) networks

iii. Switch off sharing

iv. Use firewalls to filter data transmission

v. use a security tool.