Beware Unknown Wi-Fi Hotspots
I use local rail to travel in and out of Chicago every day. While waiting for the train to leave the Chicago station each evening, my laptop often reports two or three Free Public Wi-Fi connections eager to accommodate my web browsing needs.
I never connect.
Setting up bogus “Free Public Wi-Fi” connections in heavily traveled areas is a common trick of hackers and other folk with less than kind intentions.
By broadcasting a fake “Free Public Wi-Fi” connection with a packet sniffer enabled, an attacker can see everything that a person who connects to their broadcast can see, including passwords.
Here are a few security tips for travelers in need of Wi-Fi:
- Beware unknown connections in train stations, airports, hotels, malls or other well-traveled places.
- Never connect to unsecured Wi-Fi. Secured Wi-Fi will require a password, and will often tell you what security is being used (WEP, WPA, WPA2).
- Use established restaurants and cafes when you have a choice: McDonalds, Starbucks, Caribou Coffee and other large chains have built networks with security in mind.
- Always use a VPN to encrypt the connection if you are connecting back to your company network while in public.
- Keep your defenses up to date (firewall, anti-virus, etc.). Semi-public networks can collect all kinds of malware.
Happy Wi-Fi travels!
