Protect Yourself at Public Hotspots

Ever wonder if your computer is safe when you connect to a public hotspot? Wi-Fi hotspots are everywhere, and some cities even offer citywide wireless access to its residents. You may not connect to them frequently, but with the popularity of public hotspots, there are a few things you should know to help protect your system against unnecessary attacks. Just last week I was having trouble with my Internet connection, so I connected to MetroFi, which provides Bay Area cities with free Wi-Fi. It was only a temporary solution for me, but what about those who depend on public hotspots on a daily basis? Do they know most of these connections are not secure?

Here are a few precautions you should take when you connect to a public hotspot:

• Turn on your firewall: On Windows XP go to Start>Control Panel> Security Center to make sure your firewall is on.
• Disable file sharing: Ensure this feature is turned off by going to Start>right click on Local Drive (C:)>Properties> Sharing>uncheck "Share this folder on the network" box.
• Disable ad hoc mode: Disabling ad hoc mode on your computer will prevent others from connecting wirelessly to your PC. Make sure you have this mode turned off on Windows XP by right clicking on your wireless icon>Choose Status>Properties>Wireless Networks tab>Properties>Uncheck ad hoc networking.
• Never access online banking sites or other sensitive web sites when you're on a public Wi-Fi network.
• Only connect to networks you're familiar with, such as T-Mobile's Hotspot (widely used at Starbucks, Borders, FedEx). Beware of hackers who may try to set up a fake hotspot to get your credit card information. Here's how to spot a phishing scam.
• Turn off your wireless card if its not in use.
• Make sure all your virus protection software and firewalls are up to date.
• Limit your email and IM communications. Don't ever send sensitive information over these connections.
• Assign passwords to files containing sensitive information.

Connecting to a public hotspot is not secure, so any information you send from your computer is potentially at risk of being seen by anyone within range. It is your responsibility to take precautions to protect your system and sensitive information you wouldn't want hackers to see. For more information on how to work securely from any hotspot, check out these articles from Computer World and Microsoft, which are full of tips to help make your system more secure at any hotspot.

Related:
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Creating a Wireless Connection Without a Router
How to protect your Wi-Fi Network