I’m currently staying in a hotel that has free wireless. However, it’s
unsecured and so I use it but with some concern. I have a firewall, virus
checker and intrusion detection. (In fact, one time when I logged on it told
me it intercepted a possible attack). So my questions are twofold – is it
safe to use an unsecured wireless? Or am I transmitting sensitive information
every time I send mail, log in somewhere, use a credit card? (I typically do
the latter in a wired situation.)

The second question is whether I can encrypt somehow from my side so that
even if I’m on an unsecured net, I can use it safely? Or would the net reject
my encryption?

Well, you have some options.

As far as using a credit card to purchase items make sure you only use sites
that use Secure Socket Layer (SSL), ie the site addresses begin with
https:// versus http://. Most reputable sites will do that, ie. like banks,
hotel chains, big retailers like Sears, etc. Look for the small lock at the
bottom of the IE web page when in a secure session.

The same with email. Some ISPs provide a SSL connection to their email
servers. Contact your ISP for help with that. You can also use a third-party
provider like Mail2Web that will provide a SSL proxy to use. Your email
address must be a POP account.

https://www.mail2web.com/cgi-bin/login.asp?lid=0&il=1

You might setup a free Gmail account and use their SSL portal...

https://mail.google.com

Lastly, you might look into using a VPN to access your work or home network
and tunnel all traffic through the VPN. That way everything is encrypted
between you and the VPN server (at work or at home). That is what I do along
with using Mail2Web for email if my home VPN is down.

I also run my laptop with the built-in XP SP2 Windows Firewall configured
for no exceptions. That way I block all incoming probes all the time..

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,16208979

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Hi

In addition to Al's excellent advice, you should consider disabling you Hard
Drive File Sharing.  Otherwise other guests might find them self in it.

Jack (MVP-Networking).



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jpas1954 wrote:

Unsecured wifi is just like the CB radio:  Anybody with the equipment and
knowledge can listen in to the whole conversation.

Use https and sftp sites whenever possible instead of their traditional,
unsecured counterparts, and use OpenPGP to sign or encrypt email.

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