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AuditNet® Information Security
Protect Yourself at Wireless Hotspots
by Rey LeClerc,
PhD, CISSP, CISM
Chief Information Security Officer
Case Western Reserve Company
If you're spending a lot of time at coffee shops or using public wireless hotspots, you run the risk of losing valuable data. ITS Information Security can help you protect yourself. Here's how:
- Use a VPN — and make sure it's configured right.
- If you're going to sign up for a hotspot for the first time, don't sign up at the hotspot itself. Sign up at home from your desktop before you leave. That way, you're entering all your identity theft information (such as credit card numbers) where you're much more secure.
- If you get a popup message on your screen while using a public hotspot, read pop-up carefully before you click OK. Pop-ups are a common trick for installing viruses and other infections. Sometimes the popups are browser windows, sometimes they look like Windows messages.
- Only enter sensitive information on Web pages that are secure, shown by an icon on the bottom right corner of the page.
- Switch off your wireless adapter when it's not connected to the network.
- If the network is acting funny, assume it's been compromised. Get off the network and disable your wireless connection when assumed compromised.
If you're getting jittery from all that
coffee, I can't help you with that!
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the above article do not purport to represent the views of AuditNet, any professional association or the views of any employer.
