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putting data at risk (2 posts)

Hi. Because of the nature of my work, I tend to carry a lot of sensitive information on my laptop. A lot of this information needs to be transmitted intermittently. Am I putting my data at risk by using hotspots in coffee shops and at airports? Should I take any special measures to ensure nothing untoward happens?

Yes, you are indeed putting yourself at great risk. When data is transmitted over unsecure Wi-Fi connections, the situation is ideal for anyone to benefit from stealing information from your laptop. As they say, precaution is better than cure, you can secure your information with a firewall for starters. Keep your internet security programs up-to-date. Make your passwords stronger by complicating them with special characters. You could install some genuine programs that regularly clean out passwords and history. You can make it a habit to delete temporary files. It pays to make that extra effort because if you come into contact with a hacker at a hotspot, he would know exactly where to look for your bank statement and password! Moreover, Wi- Fi data of an entire hotspot can be captured and monitored using simple tools. If your data is that precious, you should not mind spending a little more and communicating over your cellular encrypted internet.

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