Is it safe to use a school or company's free wireless or wi-fi internet to check bills, banking account ect?If you use a laptop or any device that can connect to the internet through wireless or wi-fi in the area of someone else's router, what information can they get from you? Is it safe to check your bank account or pay bills online while at school/work or a neighbor's house using their wirelss or wi-fi? I... |
Using Public 'Hotspots'
can be trouble if you don't use extra precautions.
Because 'open' networks have no encryption between your unit and the router, everything you send or receive is in plain text. Meaning that a hacker, with a commonly available application, can intercept and log all of your traffic 'packets'; and with commonly available software, can run "brute force" programs that crack passwords.
So the best advice is: do not visit sites that are private, or require 'log-in', or credit cards, banks, etc.
The only secure method to use, over a 'hotspot' is a VPN, or SSL website.
Also, when you use a "hotspot" you are by definition in that LAN; and as such, default Windows settings open certain ports which can be used to access your computer, by the bad guys.
So for laptops, turn off (aka 'unbind') printer & files sharing, via:
Start> Control Panel> Network Connections> right click 'Wireless Network Connections> Properties> General tab: here, uncheck "File & Printer sharing..."> OK out.
It depends. It is strongly recommended you check bills, log into Internet banking via cable connection, try to avoid the wireless connection.
Your neighbour's wifi should be fine to user as long as it's secured.
Your company's wifi would be a little more iffy. Isn't there an Ethernet cable you could use instead.
And as for your school's wifi. I wouldn't use it.
No way. It is not safe at all.
