Business travelers have probably had the experience of logging into their email or checking sensitive company information at an airport before casually wondering, "Is this safe?" Good question. The
meandering world of Wi-Fi hotspots is replete with potential security hazards, especially in public places like airports. Then again, the whole world is filled with potential security hazards; you
could (and some do) drive yourself crazy trying avoid them. Analysts who spoke with
The New York Times urge employers and business travelers to consider a few things when in transit. Here's the
worst-case scenario: "Someone may have some software on their computer that allows them to look at all the wireless transactions going on around them and capture packets that are floating between the
laptop and the wireless access point," Robert Vamosi, a senior editor at CNET, says. These software programs are called packet sniffers. Would-be hackers can easily download these programs online,
usually for free. They're set up to capture credit card numbers and bank account information. Which is why Vamosi does not recommend doing anything online that requires a credit card, bank account or
social security number in public places like parks, hotels, airports and cafes. Checking email, he says, is probably safe--but if you wanted to be extra cautious, it might not be a bad idea to change
your password until you get to a secure connection. However, if you gain access to your corporate network through a virtual private network, your data will be safely encrypted, even in a public
hotspot. It's more likely that the riskiest thing you could do in public is to leave your computer screen for a minute or even talk on the phone too loudly about client information.
Read the whole story at The New York Times »
