A Wi-Fi enabled device such as a personal computer, video game console, mobile phone, MP3 player or personal digital assistant can connect to the Internet when within range of a wireless network connected to the Internet. The coverage of one or more (interconnected) access points – called hotspots – can comprise an area as small as a few rooms or as large as many square miles. Coverage in the larger area may depend on a group of access points with overlapping coverage.

In a very short time computer use and internet access has achieved dizzying heights. Where once you needed a phone line and a subscription account to access the internet now all you need is a wireless enabled device and a hot spot. With the right laptop computer, you can literally sit down at a coffee shop or park and access the World Wide Web. The problem is this is probably the least secure methods of surfing the net.

Wide Open Information

According to professional analysts when you connect to the internet at one of these wireless hot spots, you are allowing wide open access to all the information on your computer. The sad truth is it is amazingly simple for hackers to get a great deal of your sensitive information this way. Most professionals will advise you to only access generic information on the internet when you are using a free wifi hotspot.

Fake Connections

The most popular method hacker’s use is to set up a fake Wi-Fi connection at a local hotspot. The connection will look real enough down to mimicking the name of the real deal, however instead of connecting straight to the internet you have connected with the hacker’s computer. At this point your system is an open book for anyone looking to steal information such as passwords and account information.

These types of connections can be used by the hacker for all sorts of reasons. The first is generally to steal any and all information they can find on you, but they could also use it to send and intercept emails. While that may sound harmless, enough you would not want a viral email to be linked to your computer. What is even scarier is the relative ease at which this type of thing can be done; there are even videos online that describe it in great detail.

Conclusion

Therefore, while sitting in the park and working on your latest project may be tempting if you are going to be dealing with private information it is best to go back to the office or home. One analyst described using free Wi-Fi hotspots as tantamount to standing in the middle of the street and yelling out your information. If you do not feel you could shout out anything on your computer to the general public it is a good idea to use a more secure internet source.

Protecting yourself and your data is hard enough when you are connected to traditional internet, it is nearly impossible at this point with Wi-Fi hotspots. In the near future hopefully IT companies will discover better ways to protect the average consumers so that this is not a problem. Today, however your best bet is to avoid the spots and work elsewhere, if you are looking up the Powerball numbers or baseball scores you will be fine, everything else should be protected.

Author Bio: Vladimir Petrov – Chief Technology Advisor www.minleys.net

Category: Internet
Keywords: wireless network,ssid,wpa,wep,wlan,wlan router,wlan security