Wi-Fi Browsing May Invite Cyber Invaders

Connecting to an unsecure network leaves you vulnerable.

Federal Bureau of Investigation 

There may be a skilled hacker nearby when you connect your laptop in a Wi-Fi hot spot. Your personal data — and ID — are at risk!

You’re at the bookstore…or enjoying a weekend afternoon at a coffee shop…thinking of connecting your laptop to a local Wi-Fi location for e-mail checks or online purchases.

But first consider this: there’s a chance that a hacker is nearby with a laptop attempting to obtain personal data from your own files. This intrusion might give the hacker access to your money or even to another organization’s sensitive information, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The FBI’s Cyber Division notes that there are more than 68,000 Wi-Fi hot spots in the U.S. at airports, coffee shops, hotels, bookstores, and other locations where thousands of people pass through every day. While many of the Wi-Fi spots have secure networks, some do not, says the FBI. Connecting to an unsecure network can leave you vulnerable to attacks from hackers.

How do hackers grab your personal data out of thin air?

The FBI explained that one of the most common types of attack is this: a bogus but legitimate-looking Wi-Fi network with a strong signal is strategically set up in a known hot spot.

The hacker waits for nearby laptop users to connect to it. At that point, your computer and all your sensitive information are at risk, including your user ID, passwords, and credit card numbers.

The intruder can mine your computer for valuable data, direct you to phony Web pages that look like the sites that you frequent, and record your every keystroke.

Another thing: the connection between your laptop and the attacker’s computer runs both ways. While the invader is taking information from you, you may be unknowingly downloading viruses, computer “worms” and other malware from the hacker.

What can you do to protect yourself?

The FBI says the best advice is to not connect to an unknown Wi-Fi network. Nevertheless, if you have to, here are some precautions you can take to decrease the threat:

• Make sure your laptop is up-to-date, with current versions of your operating system, Web browser, firewalls, and anti-virus software.

• Do not conduct financial transactions.

• Change the default setting on your laptop so you have to manually select the Wi-Fi network.

• Turn off your laptop’s Wi-Fi capabilities when you are not using them.

NEA Member Benefits now offers NEA ID Theft Protection Program with both individual and family coverage. Get details at www.identityfraud.com/neamb.