Your Laptop, Your Latte and Your Privacy.

So you just grabbed that latte and found a little space for yourself in your favorite coffee store to spend some time alone getting caught up on emails, work, Facebook, banking, etc., right?   Maybe wrong, while that may be your intent, you may very well not be alone if you have accessed a Wi-Fi hot spot.   Unfortunately, hackers have become more and more skilled at getting to you.  Through Wi-Fi hot spots hackers use spybots and sniffers to seek out information on your laptop.  Hopefully, you are already utilizing antispam, antivirus and antispyware appliactions.  For a higher level of protection follow these steps to help make sure you are indeed alone!

Step 1:  Disable your laptop's automatic connect feature. Manually select available networks to ensure you are not unintentionally getting on a network that makes you susceptible.

Step 2:  Use a firewall.  A firewall has been installed on your computer if you use Windows Automatic Updates. Unless you turn the firewall off, it runs automatically. You can make your Windows firewall more secure in a public Wi-Fi location by changing your firewall setting to Block All Incoming Connections. Even with that setting, you will be able to view most web sites, check your email and exchange instant messages. For more information about firewalls for Windows click here.  For Mac users, Mac OS X comes with one built in, always has, always will.  Just be sure you've turned it on.

Step 3:  You do not want other users on the network to be able to see the files on your computer. Check the public network's website to see if the network uses encryption to hide users' files. The web site should include a privacy statement. If there is no privacy statement, do not use the network.

Step 4:  Protect yourself from Wi-Fi hackers:

• Do not keying in any passwords, credit card information or other data that you want to remain private.


• Do not check your bank balance in a public place. If it is necessary for you to type the information, do it only on a secure web site.


• Look for https at the beginning of the web site address. The "s" stands for security. Also check for a padlock on the bottom right in the browser toolbar. Using your company's virtual private network (VPN) increases your security.

Step 5:  Watch out for impostor web sites that replicate the Wi-Fi login screen. The source of the evil impostor site could be someone sitting near you.  If you get caught using an impostor, your information goes through their computer before it reaches the Internet.

Step 6:  Be aware of your surroundings.  Prying eyes may be lurking over your shoulder in an effort to steal your information.  It's not being paranoid it's being smart!  Just like you conceal and protect your PIN number from lurking eyes at ATMs., you also need to protect passwords and private information while in a WI-Fi hotspot.

Step 7:  If you are able to accomplish what you need to on a 3g network (e.g. either your phone or using a 3G network card) rather than using public wireless connections.  There is a higher level of security.

Be safe in your solitude!

-M