The Risks of Using an Unsecured Network and the Best Way to Protect Your Users and Company

IT departments and individual users must practice safe, trusted, and secure Internet habits to avoid the risks of unsecured networks and keep cyber villains out.

Mary E. Shacklett, President of Transworld Data

March 14, 2024

1 Min Read
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An unsecured network is a network without security protections. In other words, you don’t need a userID or a password to sign onto an unsecured network. There are no network authorizations for access needed, and there are no built-in security protections to prevent hackers from gaining access to the network. When individuals ask what an unsecured network means, it's also important to note that a totally unsecured network can come in many forms: unsecured Wi-Fi network (aka, Wi-Fi unsecured network), unsecured satellite network or unsecured wired network, to name a few.

When a network is not secured physically or with software that prevents network access from unauthorized users, the network becomes an insecure network that can easily be accessed by outside actors who are not authorized to use the network or who may have the intent to cause immeasurable harm.

What are the dangers of using an unsecured network?

The dangers of using an unsecured network are that outsiders (i.e., individuals not authorized to use the network) can break into the network because the network lacks physical or software-based security and has no way of keeping them out. These bad actors can be from a competing company, or they can be bad actors from the outside who are interested in obtaining your information so they can hold your company hostage to pay for it or sell the stolen information to others.

Read the Full Article on Network Computing

About the Author(s)

Mary E. Shacklett

President of Transworld Data

Mary E. Shacklett is an internationally recognized technology commentator and President of Transworld Data, a marketing and technology services firm. Prior to founding her own company, she was Vice President of Product Research and Software Development for Summit Information Systems, a computer software company; and Vice President of Strategic Planning and Technology at FSI International, a multinational manufacturer in the semiconductor industry.

Mary has business experience in Europe, Japan, and the Pacific Rim. She has a BS degree from the University of Wisconsin and an MA from the University of Southern California, where she taught for several years. She is listed in Who's Who Worldwide and in Who's Who in the Computer Industry.

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