Summer 2009: Vacation Hacking
If you are going on vacation or traveling on business this summer you should be extra careful about where you use your computer, especially in airports. Internet fraud is something that is familiar to this generation, but there is a new way that tourists are being targeted. Designated Wi-Fi hotspots are being hacked to pin unsuspecting tourists. Information has been released warning people traveling with their laptops; for example, it was found during a recent investigation that only 3% of people in 27 airports were using a secure free public Wi-Fi. Why does it matter? Well, when you are on a hacked Wi-Fi, you are providing an open window to all of your computer’s information. While sitting in the airport, many people check on their banking, buy stocks, and get ahead on work; whatever it may be it is usually private.
The most difficult part is that it can be close to impossible to spot these fraudulent networks, and we all know that during a layover, there is work to be done. Unfortunately, there is not really a bright side (yet) to this story, you must be extremely cautious about what you are doing while away from your own wireless network. But because these are hackers, of course it is difficult to put an end to this.