YOU HAVE BEEN HACKED! Part 1 - Some DO's and DON'Ts when using FREE/Public WI-FI networks

This blog series is NOT ABOUT whether I have the end all be all on getting hacked, stop from hacked or what all ... its a series of blog posts meant to being awareness and IF you find any of it useful then consider it as adding value to your day  :)  If you're reading on your phone this post seems LONG... its not. It's a quick read and trust me ... an eye opener IF you find yourself doing some of these things.

Let me start with a VERY TRUE story about my buddy Ray who inspired this blog series ... 

Recently my buddy had his Raider tickets hacked from his Ticketmaster account ... he posted them for re-sale and soon after, when he wanted to adjust the price he couldn't locate them inside either his Raiders.com account (which is connected to his NFL Ticket Exchange Ticketmaster account) or inside his Ticketmaster account.

Something just didn't add up ... then after reaching out to his Raiders season ticket representative it was found that someone had hacked his account, sold his tickets and there was NOTHING he could do about it even though the football game was a week away.

We think he opened his Raiders.com and Ticketmaster account using his Yahoo email and the passwords were the same ... so with Yahoo being on record as having ALL of its users information hacked at some point ... were sure a hack bot used his Yahoo email login WITH his password which was the same ... logged in and the criminals went to work.

Word to the wise ... MANY web sites ask to create accounts using your email address ... DO NOT use the same password as this could happen to you.

Below are some great tips about being safe while using sensitive information on free networks such as coffee chops free and public WI-FI networks

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This is a refresher but as I just got another email (personal account) that my information has been compromised I figured the more awareness we all have the better chances we have at protecting our data.

 

DO Accept That Wi-Fi Sniffers Are Commonplace

"Thieves don't take vacations and they know where the public wi-fi spots are," "Through a wi-fi sniffing device, a thief can easily see what's happening on a network. It doesn't mean that there's a thief in every coffee shop, but it's really better to be safe than sorry."

DO Be Aware of Nosy Onlookers

Known as 'shoulder surfers,' some thieves try to steal a glimpse of your information on your smartphone or laptop. Always be aware of who is nearby and shield your screen when keying in passwords.

DON'T Use Public Wi-Fi to Access Financial Info

Never access a bank or credit card website or app on an open network. Also, don't make any online or in-app purchases and think twice before sending or receiving sensitive emails. For these transactions, it's much safer to turn off public wi-fi and enable your mobile carrier's network or a personal wi-fi hotspot.

DO Know When It's Okay to Use Free Wi-Fi

Want to get the weather forecast, catch up on the news, check your flight information, or find directions to your destination? None of those are problems. "A good general rule is to only access information that you'd feel comfortable for someone looking over your shoulder to see," "For me, that means it's okay to access any site that doesn't require me to enter a login and password."

DO Confirm That Your Hotel Wi-Fi Is on a Secure Connection

"Typically the wi-fi in a hotel lobby is public," "If you need to enter a login and password to access the wi-fi in your room, that's usually an indication that the connection is secure. But it's always smart to ask the hotel how they are protecting your information."

DO Learn to Identify Secure Web Pages

While most of the pages on the Internet begin with http://, a secure page that uses encryption will begin with https://. That extra "s" makes all the difference when you're typing in a user ID and password. Don't trust unsecured websites that ask for personal information.

DO Use an Alternative Browser

To protect your browsing history and passwords, it can be a good idea to use a browser that's different from your day-to-day choice. So if you usually use, say, Chrome, then you may want to install and use Microsoft Explorer while on your trip. Another tactic is to use an incognito browsing window for basic browsing on sites that don't require passwords.

DO Consider a Personal Wi-Fi Hotspot

Ask your wireless provider if you can (for an extra fee) set up a personal wi-fi hotspot that you can use for your family's phones, tablets, and laptops. Alternatively, you can create a portable router with a local SIM data card available at electronic stores and even airport kiosks. 

DO Be Wary of Shared PCs

Thinking about using a public computer in a library, cafe, or hotel lobby? Go ahead, as long as the site doesn't require logging in with a password or keying in your credit card number. "There's never any way to tell if malware or software has been installed on that computer that could compromise your data."

DO Protect Your Devices and Important Apps

Not only should you password-protect your smartphone and devices, but you should be using password protection on all financial and healthcare apps. "Sometimes apps will let you choose whether you want to key in a password at each login."  "It takes an extra four seconds to log in with a password, but if your phone were ever stolen that protection would save you from worrying if those apps had been shut down properly."

DON'T Forget to Log Out

We tend to concern ourselves with logging into apps and websites, but it's equally important to be sure you log out after each use.