However very few hardware firewalls have OUTGOING firewall protection and that is what is needed to thwart keyloggers (along with other good testing software.

I have a CTC ATU R210 router for my DSL connection here in CR
.
My brother-in-law says it has a firewall inherent, very good one, for incoming data. It has NAT, default.

Can you give a second opinion? Is it good enough?

I was actually thinking about you when I wrote the post. I would suggest a quick review of RULE 4

Seriously…

I have not much good news for you… The fact that you chose to live where you did most certainly targets you. Pretty pointless to try to do your wireless hacking in Barrio Mexico!

If the bad guys are sophisticated, and it appears they are getting there… they most certainly will follow the (perceived) money and go where the computers are!

Here are two pretty good beginner articles about securing wireless. I suggest you look them over:

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/support/wireless_secure.htm

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,844020,00.asp

(The first one is better).

PROTECTION

Nearly all the things that absolutely MUST be done are controlled by the company providing YOUR wireless connection and not by you. You are limited to using a good password (see below).

As this is not your network you can do little if anything to protect yourself (except buy direct cable or DSL service and run your own wireless network IN YOUR HOME) which would be my suggestion!

The security suggestions listed in those two articles above are but the tip of the iceberg. They are the minimums. There are at least several more that MUST be done. I would bet the farm they are not.

About your comment:

1 Using the WEP from hell is OK, but most pros now use WPA and not WEP. WEP is not good technology and can has security issues that are well known.

2. A ton of things must be done from the wireless router that serves the signal to you and frankly, I do not know how many they have done. Certainly, MAC filtering should be part of the security. If all they are offering is WEP password protection, that is not good.

3 A question! Your PC or laptop can search for networks. Can you “see” listed the network you use? Not good. Good wireless systems never broadcast their presence.

There are just too many other variables here and I have no idea just how good at security are the people running that network.

Clearly though, it the network is not cast iron maybe even using VPN technology (not shown in those articles) then that also could explain how the bad guys seem to get so much private information.

You could hire a pro to help you secure it… it CAN be done but it is not cheap and I have no idea if there is even such a person here in CR available for house calls.

But it doesn’t have a firewall! I guess I don’t have a question. Just talking. Bye!

1. Well that was me trying to be cute. Looked better when I wrote it than after publishing. Sorry. Kinda one of the location location location things.

2. Yes, you are mistaken.

2.5 Macs are the best computers in existence and are 90% virus free, BUT as much as this applies to ANY computer it was relevant to MAC’s as well. There are keyloggers for MACs.

3. I have read the articles and yes, a COUPLE seem to be inside jobs, but the VAST majority seem not so. They are just people who got burned and had no idea how it happened and have/had no idea how to protect themselves.

There is a big difference between ignorance of all this techy stuff which most people do NOT know. They are not to blame, however… nor is the bank.

Those folks(especially over age 50) were not raised on this stuff and many I know barely know how to surf and read emails. Nobody every taught them this other security junk and that is not their fault.

Then there are those who KNOW/KNEW all this, and fail to protect themselves by using the common sense things in my Post. Those people deserve nobody’s sympathy.

The bank’s advice to not fall for the phishing schemes, while important, does not give anywhere near the total advice needed. Ticos are just now joinng the Internet world in numbers and most have no clue about this stuff. Also, where you might well not use an Internet cafe, most Ticos have no option. Finally, while might not think twice about getting GOOD protection for your PC and paying $75 or so, that same money represents a far greater relative cost for a Costa Rican family.