WiFi Hotspot Security Risks, What Are They, And What To Do About Them?

These days, we all have heard about hotspots and, if you own a laptop or new netbook, you are sure to have already visited one while out and about, but just what are WiFi hotspot security risks, and what can you do to reduce yours?

First off, it's important to understand the difference between an Ethernet connection and a WiFi connection. When connected with a wire, there is a modicum of security built into the cable itself, as your sensitive information (bank account number, social security numbers, and passwords to other sites) is not freely flowing through the atmosphere, available to be picked off by a nearby WiFi scanner, but is instead protected by the cable itself – but just a bit!  When using a WiFi hotspot, such as you would find at any airport or coffee bar these days, your sensitive information is literally blowing in the wind, and there are nefarious folks out there trying to capture your information and use it in ways sure to raise your blood pressure or lower your bank account – or both at the same time!

One common misconception about WiFi hotspot security is that there is a limited range in which your information can be hacked while travelling through the air, let's say at the airport.  Hackers can be up to a mile away using sophisticated scanning devices that can detect wireless transmissions from your laptop without you ever knowing they are there, and without them ever seeing you sitting waiting for your plane.  That's why it is very important to know that typing in your credit card number (or any other sensitive number) while at Starbucks is just one of the most common WiFi hotspot security risks taken by users today.

Other high-risk behaviour includes having your hard drive, folders, or files in a 'shared' state, meaning that in your operating system configuration you have set up your data so that it can be shared over a network.  Many folks are caught in this way, as they think that sharing drives / folders / files only applies to wired networks, when in most cases (and by default) this setting is applied for both wired and wireless connections, making your information as open as a book.

Another common practice that increases WiFi hotspot security risks by a factor of at least 10 or more is not having anti-virus / malware / spyware / rootkit / phishing / etc. software installed and updated on a weekly or even daily basis.  If you are out and about and you don't have any protection on your laptop at all, or your protection has not been updated in months, then don't expect your data or software to stay pure from malady for very long – it won't.  While the practice of not having updated virus protection does not come under the category of WiFi hotspot security risks per se - since you need that regardless of your use of hotspots or not - it is a prerequisite for safe computing.