There are numerous issues regarding the usage of public wireless Internet access, as discussed in one of my earlier tutorials, Wi-Fi Hotspot Security: The Issues. However, Wi-Fi hotspots can still be safe and secure if hotspot administrators and users implement some safeguards.
There are many things you can do to help protect personal documents, privacy and identity when using public networks:
Secure Your Real-Time Traffic:
Prevent Others from Connecting to Your Laptop:
Before connecting to Wi-Fi hotspots, you should disable sharing of any files, folders and services you may not want others to view, use or edit.
You can view all your PC’s shared folders in Windows XP:
- Access your PC’s Control Panel
- Open “Administrative Tools.” If in the control panel is in category view, you’ll need to select the “Performance and Maintenance” category.
- Double-click on “Computer Management.”
- Click on “Shared Folders” and open the “Shares” folder.
You should see all your PC’s shared directories. Keep in mind that by default, Windows XP adds a few shared directories (such as for remote administration); however, these should be protected from network access like on Wi-Fi hotspots. You should refer to the program’s help documentation for more information. Typically, if a share path is of a specific personal directory, it’s likely a shared folder that others on the same network, such as hotspots, can view and/or edit.
You can edit the sharing preferences of folders in Windows XP:
1. Right-click on the folder, such as in “My Computer,” “Windows Explorer,” or on your desktop.
2. Select “Sharing and Security.”
3. Edit the settings in the “Sharing” tab, and click OK.
To protect yourself from intruders on Wi-Fi hotspots and the Internet, you should have personal firewall software installed and active while connected. You can either use Windows XP’s built-in firewall utility, accessed via the Control Panel, or use third party software such as ZoneAlarm.
Make sure your operating system is up to date at all times. This ensures that you’re protected with the latest fixes that may repair any security holes in the operating system.
Watch Out for “Evil-Twin Hotspots”
There are several things you can do to help verify the legitimacy of Wi-Fi hotspots:
Beware Public Workstations or PCs
However, exercise extreme caution when using corporate or other VPNs connected to a remote network that enables access to personal data. Any hosted VPN access or software made for access on public networks uses the same strong encryption (to protect the real-time traffic), but this does not enable remote connectivity to network files and servers. Therefore, if someone does get your VPN account information, they won’t be given access to any files or servers.
Stay tuned for the solutions Wi-Fi hotspot operators can implement to increase wireless security at their venues.
This article was first published on InternetNews.com. To read the full article, click here.
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