Introduction

Whether youre taking a much needed vacation or heading home for the holidays, youll probably want to stay connected while youre traveling from point A to point B. Public wi fi access is everywhere in cafes and even in the friendly skies. Here are some tips to protect your online security when you use a public wi fi hotspot. A public hotspot is a wireless network set up for shared Internet access. The hotspot host buys a wireless access point, connects that device to the Internet, and broadcasts its signal within a public place. Anyone with a wireless card within range can access the network and use the Internet. Most proprietors make it quick and easy for customers to use their hotspots. But by minimizing login requirements and avoiding encryption compatibility issues, they disable much of the security built into the wireless device. This is a notable tradeoff. Without encryption, your plain text data passes unprotected through the air as radio signals. Those signals can be intercepted by anyone with a receiver and some basic, widely available tools. When the hotspot youre on doesnt use encryption, someone who intercepts your data can read whatever youve sent whether its a private email or a user name and password combination.