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Do you know who's accessing your WiFi network?

“Cybercrime is the greatest threat to every company in the world.” — Ginni Rometty

Grey Round Patterns

Wi-Fi vulnerability assessment

WiFi Law 101 - Businesses and Guest Networks

So, you’ve got a wireless network, or maybe you’ve been considering rolling out one out for the first time. You’ve  done the research, and you’re feeling pretty confident about your hardware choices, network management strategy and planned security measures. All the boxes are checked, and you’ve covered all your bases. Or have you?


Legal compliance is an area of consideration seldom given a second thought when implementing a guest wireless network solution, and it’s not surprising why, considering how vague policies can be, and just how little people know about the laws pertaining to offering or owning a wireless network. And in this instance, ignorance certainly isn’t bliss, as being caught unawares in an infringement could cost you in steep penalties or make you liable for obstructing the course of justice.

An understanding of the legal acts relating to offering guest wireless access is the key to avoiding all of these issues.

Key Factors to Consider

  1. Your Liabilities

  2. Your Statutory Legal Obligations

  3. Data Retention

  4. European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

  5. Data Protection Act 2018

  6. Copyright Infringement and Online Activity

  7. Law Enforcement Requests

So, What Next?

To ensure you’re keeping to your legal obligations, look at your network objectively. Ask yourself the following questions to determine areas of improvement.

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  • How am I storing communications data?

  • Can stored data easily be retrieved if legally required?

  • Is my network safeguarding against illegal downloads and copyright infringement?

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Draw up a solid user policy that clearly states that illegal use of your network is in violation of your guest network policies. Block illegal sites that are commonly used for downloading or peer to peer sharing, and flag users attempting to download while on your network. Make sure you have easy access to communications data, and a secure storage solution. By aligning yourself with sound guest network management practices, you’ll be well on your way to offering a legal, secure guest wireless network.

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ThinThread can provide a vulnerability assessment highlighting where your business is vulnerable and where the issues are that require your attention.

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