By Rajani Baburajan, TMCnet Contributor
With the convenience of logging on to the Internet in a coffee shop, or any other public network, Wireless Fidelity or “WiFi (News - Alert)” has become popular, but there are high security risks associated with such connections.
Sherman, CT –based software solutions provider Private Communications Corporation or “PCC” announced the launch of a new Private WiFi service that would protect users against hacking in WiFi service.
The solution is built on the concept that "hackers can't steal what hackers can't see," say company officials.
Hacking methods have become sophisticated and innovative with WiFi. When you connect to a WiFi network, you automatically open up your PC or laptop, as well as your personal information stored on it, to a new type of hacker called a sniffer.
Widely available easy-to-use hacking tools have made hacking, or sniffing much easier. The sniffers can get into a network via WiFi and once in, they can obtain social security numbers, driver's licenses, credit card numbers, and other personal and financial information. This is scary as with the help of a program a hacker can gain access to a wireless access point, run their hacker tool, and in just a few minutes obtain every password you use.
The Private WiFi network from PCC is a Virtual Private Network (VPN) with 128-bit encryption. Its features secure everything you send or receive. The network is structured in the same way and uses the same security methods as those employed by the government, banks, and other major companies, the company said.
Your personal information can be secured by the Private WiFi. This is done by encrypting the data which flows into and out of your laptop, making you invisible to hackers. It takes only few minutes to get installed, runs invisibly in the background, and protects you whenever and wherever you are connected to a public hotspot.
According to Kent Lawson, CEO of PCC, using public WiFi hotpots leaves you vulnerable, because there is a new kind of hacker out there called a 'sniffer' that can intercept your signal on a public network. “Firewalls and anti-virus software will not protect you from these hackers, making it easy for them to steal vital information, such as names, passwords, social security and credit card numbers.”
Miguel Neder, director of Internet Marketing, PCC said, “We're moving forward with the early adopters program. The first group of Private WiFi customers will be able to evaluate the product during normal usage and provide the company with feedback on their experiences."
