Security Basics mailing list archives
Re: How safe / unsafe is Free Open WiFi?
From: PCSC Information Services <info () pcsage biz>
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:06:27 -0400
Hi Tony,The use of any public network has inherent risks. The internet is a public network. When using Free/Open WiFi networks I would ensure that appropriate VPN access is made available if connecting to commercial assets. The use of Free/Open WiFi networks is not inherently more risky than ANY use of the Internet. What's critical to ensure is that any connectivity to assets that need to be kept secure is authenticated an connected in a secure way. Passwords must NEVER be sent in the clear, unless it is for a trivial or publicly accessible resource i.e. anonymous:anonymous () tld dom
In the absence of a PKI infrastructure these kinds of connectivity are risky in any context. It's important to remember that the Internet is a public network and that all connectivity across it is handled with the appropriate safeguards. To suggest that a hard line is more secure than WiFi fails to account for compromise in the wired network. The same type of attacks that are available in a WiFi network are also available over a line.
Best, Sean Swayze On 10-Mar-08, at 1:52 PM, BlogPatrol.com wrote:
Hi,I have what is probably a rather basic question: Just how safe are free, or open, WiFi networks that you find in Internet cafes, Hotels, Airports, etc? My personal opinion is that there are very unsafe, but I do not have the technical expertise to explain to my colleages why they are unsafe.Can anyone provide a summary, or a link to an article that provides a summary, of why a laptop or PDA user should avoid using free and open WiFi networks?Regards, Tony Nguyen Tony Nguyen, President BlogPatrol.com, Inc. support () blogpatrol com | http://www.blogpatrol.com | http://thepatrolblog.blogspot.com
Current thread:
- How safe / unsafe is Free Open WiFi? BlogPatrol.com (Mar 10)
- Re: How safe / unsafe is Free Open WiFi? PCSC Information Services (Mar 10)
- Re: How safe / unsafe is Free Open WiFi? Aaron Howell (Mar 11)
- RE: How safe / unsafe is Free Open WiFi? Nick Duda (Mar 11)
- Re: How safe / unsafe is Free Open WiFi? Ansgar -59cobalt- Wiechers (Mar 11)
- Re: How safe / unsafe is Free Open WiFi? Nicola Bressan (Mar 11)
- RE: How safe / unsafe is Free Open WiFi? Bilgehan TURAN (Mar 12)
- Re: How safe / unsafe is Free Open WiFi? Aaron Howell (Mar 11)
- Re: How safe / unsafe is Free Open WiFi? PCSC Information Services (Mar 10)
- RE: How safe / unsafe is Free Open WiFi? Murda Mcloud (Mar 11)
- RE: How safe / unsafe is Free Open WiFi? Sandeep Romana (Mar 11)
- Re: How safe / unsafe is Free Open WiFi? Kim Zeitler (Mar 11)
- Re: How safe / unsafe is Free Open WiFi? Ali, Saqib (Mar 11)
- Re: How safe / unsafe is Free Open WiFi? Kim Zeitler (Mar 11)
- Re: How safe / unsafe is Free Open WiFi? Brent Huston (Mar 11)