Beware of Wi-Fi Vampires
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Your laptop computer on a public Wi-Fi network is at risk from vampires. The FBI recently published warnings because ‘malicious actors’ are infecting travelers’ laptops at hotel Internet connections. Wired magazine also published an article “FBI Warns Travelers of Unexpected Pop-Up Window Horror”.
When travelers try to set up the hotel room Internet connection, they are presented with a pop-up window that notifies the computer user that they must update a popular software product. If the user clicks to accept and install the update, they actually install malicious software onto their laptop computer. The pop-up looks like a routine update for a legitimate software product that frequently updates as a normal practice.
How do you know a software update is fake?
Fake updates usually happen inside a browser window. Click inside the popup and look for the name of the web browser that you use on your Mac, next to the apple icon in the top left corner of your screen. Do not click on any links in any pop-ups! If the update were a real legitimate update, you would see “Software Update” in the top left corner when you click inside the pop-up window (not on the link!).
Click the Apple at the top left of your Mac screen and choose Software Update to safely check for software updates for your computer. If you want to see if specific software has updates available, open the software directly and find the “Check for Updates” choice in the drop down menu that is usually at the top right of most software windows.
Firewall software will also protect your laptop from most hackers on public Wi-Fi. Most firewall software is less than $100 and available from Norton, McAfee, and various open source solutions are available too.
Never use your credit card on public Wi-Fi connections because the risk is just too great. Wait until you are on a secure private Internet connection to make purchases online from secure websites. Adding an “s” to the http url can provide you with a secure website, for example http://www.facebook is not secure and https://www.facebook.com is a secure connection.
Another solution is to connect your laptop to your own mobile Internet provider. Android, iPhone and various MiFi wireless access points are more secured than using public Wi-Fi connections.
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References
Retrieved May 16th 2012
FBI warns travelers of unexplained pop-up window horror.
http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/05/fbi-warning/
FBI new scams and warnings. http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/e-scams/
Facebook a continued commitment to Security.
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