Like Tree9Likes
  • 3 Post By shri
  • 1 Post By jgl
  • 2 Post By timonoj
  • 1 Post By mrgoodkat
  • 1 Post By timonoj
  • 1 Post By flameproof

How to avoid 'hackers' if using WiFi?

Closed Thread
  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Posts
    1,015

    How to avoid 'hackers' if using WiFi?

    Ordinarily i use a wire for connection to banking, credit card and brokerage sites, to avoid possible hacking of data. But now the wire is gone, coz the gf has cancelled her home service and now she depends on work WiFi or other service. I used her wire. I cannot get any wire for my place.

    How can i solve this problem? Best solution may be to find a shop which offers me a wire connection, any available?

    Other ideas?


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    6,452

    Only connect to Wifi that requires a password. If you are really paranoid you could get a VPN.

    Tongbaos likes this.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    /home/timonoj
    Posts
    1,432

    You could use:
    -Your phone as a wifi hotspot (protect the wifi with a password!) or, tethered with the USB cable, it will act as a modem. Your traffic remains between you and your mobile network ISP.
    -Use only WPA password protected wifis, avoid open unprotected wifis.
    -As suggesed, when using public wifis, you can also add the VPN connection.

    Tongbaos likes this.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    θ–„ζ‰Άζž—
    Posts
    47,965

    - Make sure you have an updated browser and OS.
    - First line of defence is a good firewall - what OS are you using? Most modern OS will have a decent firewall for regular use. Make sure that is turned on.
    - Second line a good malware detection package (MS has a freebie one... although I've not seen / used it in 3-4 years)
    - Make sure you browse sites that have SSL turned on ( green lock on the browser address bar ).
    - Don't use common passwords across regular sites (like GeoExpat) and high security sites like say your brokerage and also dodgy sites (as in old / unmaintained sites which may need a password / login).
    - Be careful with banking apps etc - some of them do not have SSL security built in.
    - Get yourself a VPN which allows you to use a HK server (you may have other problems if you start logging in from random spots around the world into HK banks etc).
    - Sit with your back to the wall at the coffee shop - don't sit near a f'ing window where someone standing outside can see what you're typing... I just saw this today while getting coffee.

    At the end of the day, your chances of getting hacked can be seriously reduced by making sure you maintain good password discipline and restrict your browsing habits to properly secured sites / known sites.


  5. #5

    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    15,557
    Quote Originally Posted by mrgoodkat:
    Only connect to Wifi that requires a password. If you are really paranoid you could get a VPN.
    But how do you know if the vpn hasn't been hacked?

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    6,452

    Lol, how do you know you helper hasn't installed a hardware keylogger in your laptop?


  7. #7

    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    /home/timonoj
    Posts
    1,432

    Only possible solution.

    BeachLOVER and Tongbaos like this.

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Posts
    11,884
    Quote Originally Posted by jobin:
    Ordinarily i use a wire for connection to banking, credit card and brokerage sites, to avoid possible hacking of data. But now the wire is gone, coz the gf has cancelled her home service and now she depends on work WiFi or other service. I used her wire. I cannot get any wire for my place.

    How can i solve this problem? Best solution may be to find a shop which offers me a wire connection, any available?

    Other ideas?
    What did you mean by the part in bold?

    I think the risk in HK is pretty low, and Shri's advice is very sensible, but still I would not personally trust any non-work or non-home wifi connection for financial services sites.

    If you need to connect to important sites that have access to all your assets, then it's worth spending a small amount on your own connection (mobile hotspot, if you can't go wired?) to access this. I would not want to be relying on free 'Starbucks' wifi for everything.
    timonoj likes this.

  9. #9

    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    6,180

    If your concern is banking, then chose a online bank that needs a release code via SMS or similar. HSBC has a PIN generator, that makes it pretty much impossible for others to get your money.

    wayland likes this.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Posts
    157
    Quote Originally Posted by pin:
    But how do you know if the vpn hasn't been hacked?
    Worrying about VPN being hacked is like worrying if the bank will get hacked. The odds of that happening are less or equal to your own wired modem being hacked.

    If you get a good reliable VPN(plenty of reviews on Google) you can even use those crappy free wifi hotspots. I really wouldn't recommend that but a good VPN will keep you secure.

    If somebody is good enough to hack your vpn, they probably won't be wasting their time and talent on a random signal in the neighborhood. Trying to hack vpn is a waste of time when there are millions of users not using it on free wifi hotspots for easy pickings.