wireless network security while traveling
来源:http://www.goaround.org/travel-africa/244973.htm
Q:Any pearls of wisdom regarding using laptops on unsecured networks while traveling? I know in theory someone on the same net could record your keystrokes and capture passwords etc, but practically speaking is this a real concern for things like email accounts or similar? Has anyone had their accounts hijacked while traveling or is this more a theoretical problem than a real one?
Bill
Bill
A:no concerns if you leave the laptop at home!
Random Tip:Caribbean Travel Tips
A:I'll ask my husband (who knows much more about wireless security than I do) but as a short answer, we've taken our laptop with us on a couple of trips and not had any security issues when using wireless.
That said, we've usually had the laptop with us because I've needed to deliver a training presentation and/ or we needed to be able to process and share some of our photographs with other travellers and so we've not really bothered to connect to the internet very often.
That said, we've usually had the laptop with us because I've needed to deliver a training presentation and/ or we needed to be able to process and share some of our photographs with other travellers and so we've not really bothered to connect to the internet very often.
Random Tip:Find Luxury Hotels in Venezuela
A:Somone could hack into your laptop and steal information that might be vital.
Plus you dont want people peeping into your private documents or you comfortable people scanning your documents?
Also someone could spread a virus that could crash your laptop
Plus you dont want people peeping into your private documents or you comfortable people scanning your documents?
Also someone could spread a virus that could crash your laptop
A:Somone could hack into your laptop and steal information that might be vital.
No they can't, I have a firewall and virus protection. Also I keep no vital information on a laptop that I'm traveling with, in case it's stolen.
Plus you dont want people peeping into your private documents
With file-sharing turned off this cannot happen either.
Also someone could spread a virus that could crash your laptop
I have up-to-date virus software and a firewall so I'm not worried about this either.
Let's try this question again: on our home wireless network every computer uses encryption when sending to the wireless router, so even if someone in the neighborhood was listening in they couldn't understand what was said.
On an unsecured wireless network, like we get for free in a hotel or at some airports or coffee shops, there is no encryption so in theory someone with the right software could record what you are sending over the network. So for example if you have a gmail account they would be able to pick up your account name ID and password when you log in if they are willing to sift thru all the wireless transmissions. At least in theory.
So my question is how do frequent travelers handle this? Do you simply *never* log on to something that requires a password, do you use something like PGP encryption for emails, or do you simply hold your breath and wing it, hoping no one is sniffing passwords?
If you are in the last category have you experienced or heard of any one getting bitten by this, ie, someone getting an email address with password and using it for spamming or whatever?
I think we'll probably just put a special password on an account and access that one account while we're on the road, then change the password back once we're home on the secure net. But I was wondering how much the risk was, whether it's a one-in-a-million shot someone will sniff it out or if you're at say the Amsterdam Airport it's 1-in-10 or better odds?
Bill
No they can't, I have a firewall and virus protection. Also I keep no vital information on a laptop that I'm traveling with, in case it's stolen.
Plus you dont want people peeping into your private documents
With file-sharing turned off this cannot happen either.
Also someone could spread a virus that could crash your laptop
I have up-to-date virus software and a firewall so I'm not worried about this either.
Let's try this question again: on our home wireless network every computer uses encryption when sending to the wireless router, so even if someone in the neighborhood was listening in they couldn't understand what was said.
On an unsecured wireless network, like we get for free in a hotel or at some airports or coffee shops, there is no encryption so in theory someone with the right software could record what you are sending over the network. So for example if you have a gmail account they would be able to pick up your account name ID and password when you log in if they are willing to sift thru all the wireless transmissions. At least in theory.
So my question is how do frequent travelers handle this? Do you simply *never* log on to something that requires a password, do you use something like PGP encryption for emails, or do you simply hold your breath and wing it, hoping no one is sniffing passwords?
If you are in the last category have you experienced or heard of any one getting bitten by this, ie, someone getting an email address with password and using it for spamming or whatever?
I think we'll probably just put a special password on an account and access that one account while we're on the road, then change the password back once we're home on the secure net. But I was wondering how much the risk was, whether it's a one-in-a-million shot someone will sniff it out or if you're at say the Amsterdam Airport it's 1-in-10 or better odds?
Bill
A:Bill: I'm hoping you get a response on this - I've traveled with my laptop the last 2 major trips I've been on (Africa & SE Asia) and will be bringing it with me to Italy next week. I've never used any special encription, so I definatley fall in the "hold my breath and wing it" category. So far, nothing has happened, and I check my financial records & email accounts regularly. I guess I hope that the "secure" pages are truly secure...probably naive.
