As more and more people travel with wireless notebooks and logon to the Internet at public Wi-Fi hotspots, hackers lie in wait, anxious to exploit the security vulnerabilities inherent in Wi-Fi.
The following four tips will help you fortify your defenses while enjoying the benefits of surfing the Web via public Wi-Fi:
Tip #1 - Beware the “Evil Twin”. An “Evil Twin” is a hacker operated hotspot designed to trick users into believing it is a legitimate public hotspot by mimicking the legitimate public hotspot’s network name and login page (if applicable). Once the user has connected to the “rogue” hotspot, the hacker may even go as far as mimicking login pages for popular email and banking sites thereby stealing the user’s most valued login credentials.
A standard protection against this type of attack is to only use public hotspots that provide an SSL-encrypted login connection which has been certified as legitimate by a trusted third party such as Thawte or Verisign. If the login page’s URL begins with “https” versus “http” and you see a “lock” icon in the lower right hand corner of your web browser, it is SSL-encrypted. You can view the SSL certificate from your web browser by clicking File > Properties > Certificates
Tip #2 - Virtually all public hotspots disable WEP and WPA to provide a hassle free login for users. What this means is that your data is not encrypted as it travels through the air and can be read by a hacker using standard command line utilities found in certain operating systems. Unless your company provides you with a VPN (Virtual Private Network), your best bet is to act as if there is always someone looking over your shoulder because someone might be. If you intend to perform financial transactions, ensure that you are doing so over an SSL-encrypted connection.
Tip #3 - Turn your firewall on and configure your wireless network settings as follows: Start > Settings > Network Connections > Wireless Network Connection > Change Advanced Settings > Advanced Tab > Windows Firewall Settings > Select “On” > OK
Turn ad-hoc mode off: Start > Settings > Network Connections > Wireless Network Connection > Change Advanced Settings > Wireless Networks Tab > Select Network > Properties > Uncheck “This is a computer-to-computer (ad-hoc) network” > OK
Disable file sharing: Start > Settings > Network Connections > Wireless Network Connection > Change Advanced Settings > Uncheck “File and Printer Sharing” > OK
Tip #4- Keep both your operating system and anti-virus software current with the latest updates.
By employing these four security tips, your data will stay out of the wrong hands while you surf the Web via public Wi-Fi.
Related stories:
• Wi-Fi Hotspots
• Hotels with Internt Access
• Miami Beach Internet Cafes
