How do I stay safe in an internet cafe?

Read the article that everyone's commenting on.
Subscribe to the RSS Feed for comments on this article.

Leo if your piggybacking on someone else's connection and you are on a httpS website can that info be sniffed or is it still secure?

Aslo it is strongly recommended using VPN when you are browsing in a public wi-fi zones, internet cafe..etc
I use personal vpn service (128byt encrypted) called VPN Privacy. Very fast and convinient.

But I use uk vpn and so happy !

Hotspot connection and its signal matters a most and thius respect i can assure you from my pat experience that wifirush service,wireless connection and hotspot is one of the best in the market. I promise you, wifirush latest technology keeps you free from security threats and constantly encourages you to use it for your business purpose at your best level.Visit http://wifirush.com/services_flash.html for more information to get new taste of hotspot.

I always use https when I'm at unsecured wireless networks, but I'm worried that someone can still see what I'm doing. I make sure the website uses AES 256 bit encryption but I don't think that's enough for encryption. Is it possible for someone to decrypt the https connection?

Nope, it's not practically possible.

16-Aug-2009

Leo, every week I read and get a lot of excellent advice on your column. But you can get CLEAR signals a lot further than 100 meters away. I have my own connection (Verizon Wireless), but the person who rented this place before me mounted a wi-fi antenna on top of the unused chimney (a huge square one), the library is eight blocks away, and I can pick up an excellent signal from here. Along with about 20 or so unsecured networks. The landlord told me to use it, he installed it and used it for 4 years with no trouble. But I'm afraid for the reasons that you mentioned to use it. I just can't believe that all these people in 2009 leave their networks unsecured. Too lazy to set up the security on their routers, just plug and play.

The Webmail service FastMail.fm offers https, as well as one-use passwords.

Could LogMeIn (their free version) be used effectively as a VPN? I log on at their site and I then connect to my home computer and remote control it to do all of my Internet business. Is this an effective way to keep people from seeing what I'm doing when I'm accessing the Internet at a hotel?

Yes. I've been meaning to play with the free LogMeIn (I also use LogMeIn Hamachi, which when coupled with Windows own Remote Desktop can also do the same).

16-Nov-2009

Good advice as always, Leo. I'd like to add that even though you have a Firewall running, make sure that you lock it down by disabling Exceptions when you are using a public LAN. I just got attacked that way in a library!

When away from home I would like to use internet cafe's for the odd email, and check my bank accounts, but I am afraid to do so. Is there any way I can protect myself from my security being breached? I do not use a laptop with a wireless connection.

To post a comment on "How do I stay safe in an internet cafe?", please return to that article's main page.