From coffee shops to hotels, many businesses now offer Wi-Fi for free. But is it safe to use? Chris Olsen tells you why you need to take precautions when you're surfing in public places.
Free wireless internet is available in many places these days. From MacDonald's to hotels and coffee shops, customers enjoy the convenience, reliability and the ability to get work done in a social setting.
But is it safe to go online in public places through a Wi-Fi hotspot? Consumer Reports' engineer Dean Gallea says you have to be careful.
"You're actually connecting into a computer network with strangers, and a hacker can get at personal information that you provide, or even trick you into connecting to a fake hotspot," Gallea said.
To illustrate, Gallea parked near a Starbucks with his laptop. Sitting at a table outside the coffee shop, his colleague was logging on.
A phony "Starbucks Free" connection that Gallea created came up at the top of the list.
"She chose my fake hotspot instead of the real one, so she'll be seeing a fake webpage I set up and I'll be able to see any personal information she types in," he said.
Consumer Reports says before logging on to public Wi-Fi, be sure to confirm the name of the wireless network connection.
Another precaution - before sending personal information like a credit-card number, look for the letters "https" in the address bar, not simply "http."
The "s" means the data leaving your computer is sent securely. A padlock is another sign of a secure connection.
"But your best protection when you're connected to a public hotspot is just not to send any personal information at all," Gallea said.
Consumer Reports says there's another important step to take to keep your information secure at public hotspots. You should disable your laptop's file and printer-sharing features. This will prevent people on the wireless network from gaining access to your personal documents. Check your computer's help menu to find out how to do this.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen
