What are risks of WLAN connections at internet cafes?

I recently bought my wife a laptop with WLAN built in and she would like to
connect to the internet now and then at her favorite coffee shop, using the
WLAN capability. But I have no wireless experience of any kind and I'm
wondering if a WLAN internet connection from an internet cafe, introduces any
risks/vulnerabilities not present with a home dial-up internet connection.
If so, would someone be so kind as to explain what they are and what I
can/should do on the laptop to address the risks.

Thanks!

NOTE: Norton Anti Virus 2005 is installed on the laptop -- the virus list
is kept up to date and Norton's Internet Worm Protection is on. I understand
Norton's worm protection is also a firewall, so I turned off Windows Firewall
because I read it's best to have only one firewall active.
--
So much to learn... So little time ;-)

The risk from the Internet is No different from any other Internet connection, and thus
you have the regular software protection On. http://www.ezlan.net/security.html

The additional risk comes for the Wireless connection.

In order to provide smooth easy service the Wireless connection of almost all public Hot
spot is not secured. That means that other people who are within the Wireless range
can intercept your Wireless data. So what ever you do on the Internet you have to be
take into consideration that some one might be watching.

Avoid using public Wireless for sensitive personal activities like On Line Banking etc.;
in addition make sure that your hard drive is not set for data sharing so that your
files would not share over the connection.

Jack (MVP-Networking).





"Roughneck" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:3745E84F-7C5F-425B-924B-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I recently bought my wife a laptop with WLAN built in and she would like to
> connect to the internet now and then at her favorite coffee shop, using the
> WLAN capability. But I have no wireless experience of any kind and I'm
> wondering if a WLAN internet connection from an internet cafe, introduces any
> risks/vulnerabilities not present with a home dial-up internet connection.
> If so, would someone be so kind as to explain what they are and what I
> can/should do on the laptop to address the risks.
>
> Thanks!
>
> NOTE: Norton Anti Virus 2005 is installed on the laptop -- the virus list
> is kept up to date and Norton's Internet Worm Protection is on. I understand
> Norton's worm protection is also a firewall, so I turned off Windows Firewall
> because I read it's best to have only one firewall active.
> --
> So much to learn... So little time ;-)

just set up ur wireless for the cafe and keep firewall on and nortons updated
to set up wireless go into network wizard run wizard in control panel to
cafe connection and it will be ok it should be safe as a volt
--
I want a job self trained with goals and i excited to excited again in
something this big.


"Roughneck" wrote:

> I recently bought my wife a laptop with WLAN built in and she would like to
> connect to the internet now and then at her favorite coffee shop, using the
> WLAN capability. But I have no wireless experience of any kind and I'm
> wondering if a WLAN internet connection from an internet cafe, introduces any
> risks/vulnerabilities not present with a home dial-up internet connection.
> If so, would someone be so kind as to explain what they are and what I
> can/should do on the laptop to address the risks.
>
> Thanks!
>
> NOTE: Norton Anti Virus 2005 is installed on the laptop -- the virus list
> is kept up to date and Norton's Internet Worm Protection is on. I understand
> Norton's worm protection is also a firewall, so I turned off Windows Firewall
> because I read it's best to have only one firewall active.
> --
> So much to learn... So little time ;-)

Perhaps the biggest risk here is that you can lose your dear wife.
There is lot of dating sites on the 'net... Antivirus won't help.
--PA

"Roughneck" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:3745E84F-7C5F-425B-924B-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I recently bought my wife a laptop with WLAN built in and she would like to
> connect to the internet now and then at her favorite coffee shop, using the
> WLAN capability. But I have no wireless experience of any kind and I'm
> wondering if a WLAN internet connection from an internet cafe, introduces any
> risks/vulnerabilities not present with a home dial-up internet connection.
> If so, would someone be so kind as to explain what they are and what I
> can/should do on the laptop to address the risks.
>
> Thanks!
>
> NOTE: Norton Anti Virus 2005 is installed on the laptop -- the virus list
> is kept up to date and Norton's Internet Worm Protection is on. I understand
> Norton's worm protection is also a firewall, so I turned off Windows Firewall
> because I read it's best to have only one firewall active.
> --
> So much to learn... So little time ;-)

Thanks to one and all for your feedback -- it's very much appreciated! I
don't think data sharing is on, but I'll double check just to make sure.
Regarding that extra serious risk noted by Pavel A, I'll keep that in mind.
So far, I'm fortunate in that she always wants me to join her on her visits
to the internet cafe. ;-)
--
So much to learn... So little time ;-)


"Pavel A." wrote:

> Perhaps the biggest risk here is that you can lose your dear wife.
> There is lot of dating sites on the 'net... Antivirus won't help.
> --PA
>
> "Roughneck" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:3745E84F-7C5F-425B-924B-(E-Mail Removed)...
> >I recently bought my wife a laptop with WLAN built in and she would like to
> > connect to the internet now and then at her favorite coffee shop, using the
> > WLAN capability. But I have no wireless experience of any kind and I'm
> > wondering if a WLAN internet connection from an internet cafe, introduces any
> > risks/vulnerabilities not present with a home dial-up internet connection.
> > If so, would someone be so kind as to explain what they are and what I
> > can/should do on the laptop to address the risks.
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > NOTE: Norton Anti Virus 2005 is installed on the laptop -- the virus list
> > is kept up to date and Norton's Internet Worm Protection is on. I understand
> > Norton's worm protection is also a firewall, so I turned off Windows Firewall
> > because I read it's best to have only one firewall active.
> > --
> > So much to learn... So little time ;-)
>
>
>

You might find the last section of my column on wireless security
helpful.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...ebruary10.mspx

On Wed, 10 Aug 2005 07:51:07 -0700, Roughneck
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I recently bought my wife a laptop with WLAN built in and she would like to
>connect to the internet now and then at her favorite coffee shop, using the
>WLAN capability. But I have no wireless experience of any kind and I'm
>wondering if a WLAN internet connection from an internet cafe, introduces any
>risks/vulnerabilities not present with a home dial-up internet connection.
>If so, would someone be so kind as to explain what they are and what I
>can/should do on the laptop to address the risks.
>
>Thanks!
>
>NOTE: Norton Anti Virus 2005 is installed on the laptop -- the virus list
>is kept up to date and Norton's Internet Worm Protection is on. I understand
>Norton's worm protection is also a firewall, so I turned off Windows Firewall
>because I read it's best to have only one firewall active.
--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
Expert Zone Columnist
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...ts/bowman.mspx
http://www.mcemvp.us/bbowman/

Thanks, Barb -- I'll take a look at that today! By the way, I'm new to the
Newsgroups and I'm wondering... what does the line "MS Windows-MVP" located
below your name signify?
--
So much to learn... So little time.


"Barb Bowman MVP-Windows" wrote:

> You might find the last section of my column on wireless security
> helpful.
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...ebruary10.mspx
>
> On Wed, 10 Aug 2005 07:51:07 -0700, Roughneck
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >I recently bought my wife a laptop with WLAN built in and she would like to
> >connect to the internet now and then at her favorite coffee shop, using the
> >WLAN capability. But I have no wireless experience of any kind and I'm
> >wondering if a WLAN internet connection from an internet cafe, introduces any
> >risks/vulnerabilities not present with a home dial-up internet connection.
> >If so, would someone be so kind as to explain what they are and what I
> >can/should do on the laptop to address the risks.
> >
> >Thanks!
> >
> >NOTE: Norton Anti Virus 2005 is installed on the laptop -- the virus list
> >is kept up to date and Norton's Internet Worm Protection is on. I understand
> >Norton's worm protection is also a firewall, so I turned off Windows Firewall
> >because I read it's best to have only one firewall active.
> --
>
> Barb Bowman
> MS Windows-MVP
> Expert Zone Columnist
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...ts/bowman.mspx
> http://www.mcemvp.us/bbowman/
>

http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/MVPINTRO

should help explain what/who MVP's are.

On Thu, 11 Aug 2005 07:11:20 -0700, Roughneck
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Thanks, Barb -- I'll take a look at that today! By the way, I'm new to the
>Newsgroups and I'm wondering... what does the line "MS Windows-MVP" located
>below your name signify?
--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
Expert Zone Columnist
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...ts/bowman.mspx
http://www.mcemvp.us/bbowman/

Thanks, Barb! I checked out the link you just provided for the MVP status.
It's an honor to have help from someone so highly thought of. I also checked
out the link to the article in your previous reply and followed some of the
links from that as well. It was *very* helpful. A few thoughts/questions
from the info in those links.

REMOTE DESKTOP
---------------------
We currently have XP Home on both our desktop and laptop machines. As I
understand it, we'd have to get at least one license for Windows Professional
in order to use Remote Desktop to reduce our exposure. No feedback requested
on that unless I'm mistaken.


WINDOWS FIREWALL
-------------------------
Since we're using Norton's Worm Protection (which I understand is also a
firewall) I have Windows Firewall turned off. Am I correct in understanding
it's best to only have one firewall turned on? If so, do you have a personal
preference for using one over the other?


NO ENCRYPTION BETWEEN the LAPTOP and the HOTSPOT ! ! ! !
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
If I understand the situation correctly, even if a person has a firewall
turned on and has current antivirust software, any sensitive info such as
User IDs, passwords, etc., that have to be entered to access an internet
site, can be picked up/seen by anyone using the HotSpot. So, for example, if
my wife is in a coffe shop that offers a free wireless internet connection,
and she has to enter a logon id and a password to view her e-mail at work,
her logon and password could be seen by anyone using the hotspot. (I haven't
read enough of the info on the VPN links yet to know if that would be true if
the employers web site is set up to use that, but I understand it would
definitely be the case otherwise.) Am I on track there? And a related
question -- would the only people who could see that info, be the people in
the area who are using the "same" hotspot?

Thanks again.
--
So much to learn... So little time.


"Roughneck" wrote:

> I recently bought my wife a laptop with WLAN built in and she would like to
> connect to the internet now and then at her favorite coffee shop, using the
> WLAN capability. But I have no wireless experience of any kind and I'm
> wondering if a WLAN internet connection from an internet cafe, introduces any
> risks/vulnerabilities not present with a home dial-up internet connection.
> If so, would someone be so kind as to explain what they are and what I
> can/should do on the laptop to address the risks.
>
> Thanks!
>
> NOTE: Norton Anti Virus 2005 is installed on the laptop -- the virus list
> is kept up to date and Norton's Internet Worm Protection is on. I understand
> Norton's worm protection is also a firewall, so I turned off Windows Firewall
> because I read it's best to have only one firewall active.
> --
> So much to learn... So little time ;-)

Remote Desktop - Yes, you need XP Pro as a host.
Windows Firewall - I've run two firewalls at times. Opinions vary
whether two is good or not. You could turn on the Windows Firewall
while you are away from home and see how things work for you. I've
tried and used a lot of different firewalls. I'm behind a SPI firewall
on my router at home and use the Windows Firewall at the same time.
I'm not paritcularly fond of either Norton or McAfee. I've used Tiny
and have a license for Sygate as well.

Your final question is a tough one in that sophisticated hackers can
pull info almost out of thin air. The tools get better every day. VPN
or RDP is best. https access to webmail will give you reasonable
protection and I would not recommend using webmail that is not SSL
enabled at a public hotspot.

If you sign up for a day's access at a hotspot and need to setup a
username/password, setup a combo you have not used anywhere else and
only use it for the hotspot.

When you sign up for a hotspot, if you can use a single use credit
card (Discover does this) that is a good thing.



On Thu, 11 Aug 2005 12:57:02 -0700, Roughneck
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Thanks, Barb! I checked out the link you just provided for the MVP status.
>It's an honor to have help from someone so highly thought of. I also checked
>out the link to the article in your previous reply and followed some of the
>links from that as well. It was *very* helpful. A few thoughts/questions
>from the info in those links.
>
>REMOTE DESKTOP
>---------------------
>We currently have XP Home on both our desktop and laptop machines. As I
>understand it, we'd have to get at least one license for Windows Professional
>in order to use Remote Desktop to reduce our exposure. No feedback requested
>on that unless I'm mistaken.
>
>
>WINDOWS FIREWALL
>-------------------------
>Since we're using Norton's Worm Protection (which I understand is also a
>firewall) I have Windows Firewall turned off. Am I correct in understanding
>it's best to only have one firewall turned on? If so, do you have a personal
>preference for using one over the other?
>
>
>NO ENCRYPTION BETWEEN the LAPTOP and the HOTSPOT ! ! ! !
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>If I understand the situation correctly, even if a person has a firewall
>turned on and has current antivirust software, any sensitive info such as
>User IDs, passwords, etc., that have to be entered to access an internet
>site, can be picked up/seen by anyone using the HotSpot. So, for example, if
>my wife is in a coffe shop that offers a free wireless internet connection,
>and she has to enter a logon id and a password to view her e-mail at work,
>her logon and password could be seen by anyone using the hotspot. (I haven't
>read enough of the info on the VPN links yet to know if that would be true if
>the employers web site is set up to use that, but I understand it would
>definitely be the case otherwise.) Am I on track there? And a related
>question -- would the only people who could see that info, be the people in
>the area who are using the "same" hotspot?
>
>Thanks again.
--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
Expert Zone Columnist
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...ts/bowman.mspx
http://www.mcemvp.us/bbowman/