Campground, WiFi, and Internet Security

[geo]

There was some interest expressed in this subject based off of the WiFi Antenna thread. A few of us Junior Members and a Moderator have traded Private Messages concerning this subject. All agreed that starting a new thread to discuss and offer help/suggestions/etc. concerning Internet Security would be a good idea. I guess I get to lead off the subject. Your input, questions, and comments are very welcome. Don't let the tech talk fool you, there are those of us who want to help everyone keep safe! There will be several subjects discussed, but to lead off, nothing beats a first line of Internet defense better than your own computer . . .

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Campground/WiFi Computer Security – 101



I would guess (or hope) that everyone has been told at least once that they need up-to-date security software on their computer. This security software should be from a well-known, reputable software vendor such as McAfee or Symantec (formerly Norton). You say you don't need security software because all you do is email or log into your bank account? That's what I was told by a friend of mine who is a professor at the University of North Texas. Right now, his computer is with a helpful graduate student. The student is trying to save as much of the hard drive information that he can. Why? My friend opened an email attachment that was sent to him by another professor – and that email attachment contained a virus. Well, actually it was a "trojan" come to find out, the virus software came later. He is also having to change his bank account and credit cards, plus worry about identity theft.

A Total Internet Security Software package may not be in your budget, but can you be without it? Do you have a fire extinguisher in the RV? Do you check the gauge on it from time to time? Why? Basically the same reasons apply for keeping your computer safe. The first step to keeping your computer, self, finances, and identity safe is a good Total Internet Security software that is kept current. (My personal favorite is McAfee, but I have friends who believe Symantec is the best.) The next step is to keep your software current. If you use Microsoft Windows and Internet Explorer, check at least once a month for updates from Microsoft.

If you are unsure about installing and configuring a Total Internet Security package – ask someone! Or take your computer to a reputable service center or service person to have it installed. Buy and keep current the update option (also known as Maintenance and Support) for the software. Configure the software to check for updates at least once a week. Configure the software to run a "disk scan" once a week. If someone installed the software for you, have that person sit down with you (and please take notes!) and show you how to manually check for software updates and how to manually start a "disk scan". Have this person also configure your Microsoft Windows to check for updates automatically and show you how to check manually. If you keep a check list of things to do around the RV (like I do), add "Check for Security Software Updates" and "Scan Disk for Virus" to your weekly items. Both McAfee and Symantec have software packages that monitor Websites for potential problems. Be sure you really know what you are doing before you override a warning from these software and enter a potentially unsafe Website.

Low level security threats (as classified by McAfee, Symantec, Sophos, etc.) turn into actual high level threats when your computer is not protected. For example, someone has sent you a cute picture of their granddaughter. Its name is "Ashley.jpg". You double click on the .jpg, your screen flashes a bit, but there is a picture of a cute granddaughter. This was a False JPEG. Wrapped around that cute picture was an executable script that just installed some malicious code (a trojan named "Exploit-JPG.Crash") on to your computer. You don't notice right now, but several months from now, you computer seems to run slower and slower, boots up slower, and what about those funny charges on your credit card and that unknown withdrawal from your bank account? You take your computer to a service center and learn that you have a keylogger, dozens of viruses/trojans, and your computer is acting as a Spambot and is on a Botnet. (More about these terms later.) You also find out that those pictures you emailed of DW and you at Crater Lake had the "Exploit-JGP.Crash" wrapped around them. So that's what your grandson was trying to tell you!

[geo]

Your questions and thoughts will help me and another junior member who want to help you understand many different "things" about computers and networking. If you will post your questions, we will try to help. No guarantees, but good intentions will always be there.

I hope to post another thought on this thread tomorrow. It may be upsetting to some, but please read and think about it. More information will follow, but sometimes something should be given to think about. I am sitting at home posting this and am fairly sure about the security getting this post online. On a public network or WiFi, this is not the case. I hope to be able to help explain the difference tomorrow and in continuing posts.

Feedback is appreciated. Are we addressing your concerns? Are we being too technical? Do you have a question about what we have posted? Is this even a valid and useful thread? Emptiness means nothing, and nothing means that we are not addressing the needs of this forum. "Nothing comes from Nothing - (King Lear)". Shakespeare was well ahead of his time.

Your feedback is very valueable.

Thank you.

[Festus2]

A question about "reputable software vendors such as McAfee, Symantec, etc.".........I have been told that these commercial programs slow down your computer, take up a lot of disc space and don't do that much more than the free downloads you can get off the Internet - Avira to name one of many.

Have I been given some wrong information?
Comment??

[mevans0486]

Well there is "ups" and "downs" for different softwares. I personally use AVG free, I do not have very many problems with it. It is all about what features you use, if you let your anti-virus scan files "on the fly", you will notice a slow down as the computer is scanning every file as it comes through. There are many other features that these companies offer, and the more of them you use, the more resorces of your computer is consumed to run the program. On a side note, past version of McAfee and Symantec, have been very heavy on older machines, as these programs mature to counter newer threats, the more power they need to run.

[campingcpl]

Personaly I use Nortons Internet Security Suite and Webroots Spysweeper and have been using them for years and have never had any problems. Do they slow down my desktop and my laptop? Yes, they slow them down a little but I would rather know I am secure and sacrafic a little speed then have trouble with virus's, identity theft, adware, etc.. If your not connected to the internet you can always dissable some of the protection to gain the speed back.

[geo]

Yes, there are times, such as full disk scans, when my own computer slows to what I usually describe as a "crawl". That is why I make all attempts to scan the disks when I am off the system. Also, the disks are "quiet" when no one is utilizing them - so you theoretically do a better job of scanning for "threats" as you are not modifying, adding, or deleting files, etc. Yes, older machines, those with less memory, and older "operating systems" (like Windows 97, and soon to be Windows XP), the newer total protection software will work them quite heavily.

Yes, Norton (now owned by Symantec) is an excellent package that some computer users prefer. Personally, I like the integrated, full protection wrappings of the "known and trusted" commercial offerings such as those from McAfee and Symantec/Norton. I think that the value of this coverage will become more apparent as this thread grows. Some people do say that all you are paying for with McAfee, etc., is freeware already available. I argue against this as McAfee, Symantec/Norton, and other companies have proven in lawsuits that they utilize proprietary software written for their commercial applications - they've shown they have their own software and not shareware or freeware within their sales offerings.

I believe I might have mentioned this earlier, but it may also have been a "senior moment". Beware the "anti-virus software" that suddenly appears in a pop-up window announcing that you have xx viruses, yy trojans, zz spyware, etc., and to click "Here" to perform a threat removal. If you do that, you have just installed some very onerous malware (malicious software). Once that software is installed, it will take control of your computer. To remove it, you "will need to send US$50" via a Website for maintenance/support (I think the Website is base out of The Netherlands?). This US$50 extortion will continue. The malware is not that hard to removed, but it has caught many people, including a geoscientist I work with. The best way to get rid of that notice is to use something called the "Microsoft Task Manager" to kill the malware interface. We will talk more of this later, but if this "appears" on your screen, don't click to install, and if you don't know how to use the Task Manager, bring up another Internet Explorer window and send a post to this thread or a private message to me, geo. Either someone or I will get back to you and "talk" you through using the Task Manager.

Ron

[geo]

Today's computer networks are very similar to the telephone "party lines" of the last century. (Re: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_line_(telephony)) To illustrate, consider this fictitious scenario:

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You have driven all day. You barely managed to get the fiver setup and hooked up by sundown. Some nice guy from a big Class A dropped past to help with the hookups and chatted with you. You said you were tired from the drive and had to get set up quickly to email your daughter. That darned bank had messed up your credit card account again, and she was helping you check on it. That nice guy sympathized, wished you a good night, and disappeared into his Class A. This campground has both WiFi (wireless) and wired network hookups. You opt for the wired network hookup since you believe it is safer.

As DW prepares dinner, you get on the laptop and connect to your email. Your wonderful daughter has emailed to you - bank questions, her answers, and her questions. She has misplaced your Social Security Number and the bank is demanding her to furnish it before talking with her. There are two credit card accounts and she needs to know which one is the problem. It's always something! You quickly type out an email with your SSN and the problem credit card number, thank your daughter for her help as you are driving, wish the grandkids your love, and sign off. Dinner smells wonderful!

Down the lane, Mr. Nice Guy is smiling. He has two computers hooked up, one wireless and one connected to the wired network. Both these computers are running "sniffers" – software that captures and analyzes the data flowing across a network. Mr. Nice Guy just got your SSN, and credit card, and since he helped you set up, he knows your name and where you are from!
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Computer Networks are basically the same as the old telephone party line. Without wading in too deep into "techie land", a single branch of a computer network might have as many as 253 computers on it at a time! Instead of a distinctive ring, each computer gets assigned an "IP Address" (Internet Protocol Address). This is usually done automatically when you attach to the network – you might see something about "Connecting to DNS server . . . Acquiring IP Address", etc. When you send a message out, this IP address is attached to the message from your computer. The campground also has an IP address from their ISP (Internet Service Provider) that gets attached above your IP address. And, to continue, the ISP has an IP address that gets attached above those two addresses, etc. Your daughter gets the email, and since there is a "route of IP addresses", she can send you a reply that finds its way back to your campsite. So, your message goes out on the campground computer network "party line" with your attached routing information . . . for all to see, and when you get a reply that is also broadcast across the campground network with your attached routing information. Everyone else's computer sees the IP address and all of those computers reject the outgoing/incoming messages. Why? Because it is not the right IP address. But your computer recognizes its temporary campground address and receives the message. Mr. Nice Guy down the way sees the message "packets" also and has a copy of them on his "sniffer computer".

When you are attached to a "public network", you need to be aware of what you say and do, both within email and on a Web browser. Unless you are securely encrypting your messages, etc., what you broadcast out there on the network is the same as opening the door and shouting it to the masses. Even at home on your own network, you need to be aware. Unscrupulous people in the past have placed computers on the Internet (called "host nodes) and basically watched Internet traffic as it passed through. Sniffers can be programmed to look for certain sequences of information, such as the number 4266 (that announces it is a Chase Visa card).

Before you send that email, ask yourself if you printed it out and left the printout sitting on the table in the pub, would any personal information be lost? Just like the 1950s party line, the 2010 network could have many listeners.

Next post will be about making sure you have secure Web connections on that network so you aren't placing yourself and your identity in danger at the campsite, etc., by utilizing something called SSL and/or TLS. You actually do this right now, but I'll try to tell you how to make sure you are utilizing it.

If you are interested, there is an excellent book (minimum techie talk) that describes the first instance of Internet hacking back in the mid-1980s when the Internet (ArpNet) was primarily for Universities, Department of Defense, and Defense Contractors. The name of the book (highly recommended) is "The Cuckoo's Egg: Tracking a Spy Through the Maze of Computer Espionage" by Clifford Stoll (ISBN: 978-1416507789). It tells the first documented (ie, caught) instance of computer hacking and how it was utilized to hasten the fall of the Soviet Union. That hacker was caught by someone "sniffing" a network.

[mevans0486]

Moral of the story,.... don't trust people with diesel pushers!!! Good point though! Anything sent over the internet un-encrypted, is just like printing it out and leaving it for anyone to see, as Geo stated! And a lot of email providers still do not use any form of encryption, Gmail has stepped up though and ran their outgoing and incoming mail with ssl/tls. So they are safe to use.

[Flyguy]

I use "Microsoft Security Essentials" which is a free download from Microsoft, in the past I have used "Spybot", "Malwarebytes", and Norton and the one I like the best is Security Essentials, it automatically updates itself and integrates with the operating system to qualify as a virus protector and it's very proactive in catching spyware, I've deleted all the others and that's all I use and it dosen't seem to slow down my computer at all.

[geo]

Is it safe to access my bank information or shop from the campground Internet or WiFi? (summary at end)

Like so many questions, the answer is "It depends." Reputable E-commerce will use a secure computer protocol to protect their business and you, their customer. Perhaps you have heard about TLS (Transport Layer Security) or its predecessor SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). These security protocols work together within your computer and the E-commerce computer. Commonly, the term SSL is used for both SSL and TLS, but most companies are moving their Web security to TLS.

For example, what follows is called a "handshake":
You log onto your bank's website to check your balances and pay bills. 1.Your computer's Internet Browser (such as Windows Internet Explorer) sends a request to the bank's computer server to identify itself. 2.The server sends back a copy of its SSL certificate. 3.The Browser looks in its own "trusted server" database to see if the certificate is trusted. If it is trusted, the Browser sends an acknowledgement to the server. 4.The server sends a digitally signed acknowledgement back to the Browser. Within this digital signature is an encryption code that only the Browser and the server share and understand. 4.Encrypted data is shared between the Browser and the server.

Now, if you are a techno-nerd, you know that there is way more going on than this explanation. Suffice it to say, and I would encourage anyone to learn a little more about Web security, there are all sorts of information flowing between these computers – private keys, public keys, authentication, etc. But for most of us, we just want this "handshake" to work, secure our Web connection, keep us safe, and leave off the techie talk. But just as a note, several years ago, most of the SSL encryption moved to 128 bit encryption from 40 bit encryption. What this means is that there are more than a trillion additional encryption codes available with 128 bit encryption! Obviously, this is safer. Just as a check, click on the "Help" on the menu bar of your Browser. There will be an "About" on the pull-down menu that appears. Click on the "About". A pop-up should appear that has a line that says "Cipher Strength". Hopefully, this will be followed by "128-bit". If it isn't, may I suggest upgrading your Browser?

There is always a minimal possibility of a "man in the middle" interception. For most all of us, we probably would not be a target for this type of cyber-attack. However, good security is the best policy. Most of the Internet Security software will include a "firewall" program. Microsoft Windows supplies a firewall program also. Having a firewall program running is an integral part of keeping your computer, your data, and your identity safe. Besides, the "work" and calculations of the above SSL encryption takes place behind the E-commerce firewall, and should take place behind your firewall.

How can you tell if the SSL is real or just a painted icon on the Web Browser. This is something that one should always consider. You probably realize that when you log on through the Web to say, your bank, a little gold padlock appears on the Web Browser and the URL address changes to start with https:. Perhaps the Browser also brings up a green Trust Mark. Have you ever clicked on the padlock icon? You should try it! A pop-up will appear that informs you of the certificate, who it was issued to, who issued it, and when the certificate is valid.

When should you be wary of the security of a Website? Sometimes unscrupulous Websites will have a padlock icon painted within the Website itself. There will be no padlock present on the Browser title bar. The questionable Website might even utilize https: in its URL address, but there is no security certificate assuring safe data transmission. You are probably at risk on that Website. It takes just seconds to click on the padlock to see a certificate – then you know that you are exchanging secure transmissions with the E-commerce server.

Personally, I have a problem hitting the Send button when the Website I am on is not encrypted until the next screen. I believe this is actually a failure on the E-commerce company side – they don't understand when to encrypt. If I send my personal information across to them, and then the information is encrypted after transmission, what good is encryption?

As a "wake-up exercise", try the following to see where your information goes between your computer and a distant server. Click on the Start button, and then on Run. Type the command cmd and press enter. An old fashion DOS window will appear. In that DOS window, enter the following:

tracert www.bankofamerica.com

What you see as an output is all of the Internet nodes (computers/routers/switches) that are between you and the Website for Bank of America. It's not uncommon to see 20+ nodes listed. If you were to send unencrypted information to that Website, any one or more of these nodes would have the capability of capturing, even recording and storing, that information. SSL was created to secure information so as not to be captured and used by any unscrupulous person.

My sanity editor has suggested I summarize the above, and I believe that he is correct:

1. Assure that you have 128 bit encryption on your Web browser, or upgrade so you do.
2. Have a firewall running on your computer (Microsoft, Norton, McAfee, etc.)
3. Look for the gold padlock on the upper or lower bar of the browser (not "in the browser window". Click on it to display the certificate information to assure security icon is real.

[W5WI]

Geo, excellent information! I appreciate your time and effort in helping us understand what it takes to have a secure internet connection.

I run AVG free as my security package and I have been very pleased with the results so far. I've had Norton and McAfee in the past and I feel I am as well protected with AVG as I was with the other two. I also run Malwarebytes, Spybot and Ad-aware. I like the fact that AVG updates their program daily and sometimes several times a day vs the other providers who update on a much less frequent basis.

We are on the road frequently and whether we are in a campground, at a library or staying in a motel we do use the available public internet access points. What do you recommend we do to detect a snooper or keylogger? Are there any programs out there that will tell us if our transmissions are being logged? Or, should we just keep our detection software up to date and run them frequently?

I've used Kaspersky numerous times as a secondary check to make sure I am capturing any malware or spyware. What are your thoughts on this software?

Thanks!

[geo]

I have actually avoided addressing AVG Free, so I guess I shouldn't dodge this again. But due to the fact that a previous post discusses Secure Socket Layers (SSL/TLS), I must touch on this subject.

AVG Free is a good product but it does have some limitations. It does not have an "anti-rootkit" that scans the boot process and boot partition (pre-7.5 Release does but it only scans for older "signatures"). Admittedly, AVG Free does scan incoming files, so hopefully any nasties will be caught before it can install itself. AVG Free has infrequent updates (the purchased AVG is updated sometimes daily with current signatures) and is seldom up-"to-date" with the new current anti-virus database. However, this is one BIG issue for the RVer – AVG Free does not contain a firewall, spyware, or other identity theft protection. This means, if you connect to, say, your bank using SSL, though the encryption may be performed on your computer, it is not hidden from the "Internet eyes" behind a firewall. Yup, back to that guy down the way in the Class A . . . That, the lack of a firewall, is the big omission in AVG Free.

So, if you do run AVG Free, be sure your Microsoft Windows Firewall is enabled, properly configured, and keep it up-to-date with Microsoft Updates. You need to run other anti-malware software. But keep in mind, sometimes products are only as good as what you pay for that product. Security software is not, IMHO, something you want for free. To quote the author Larry Niven – "TANSTAAFL" – There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.

Kaspersky Software has been an international standard for many years. Its Internet Security 2011 is one of the three top Internet security software products. Check Point utilizes the Kaspersky anti-virus software (the purchased version). But again, the purchased products are usually more up-to-date.

Keylogging malware is usually a Trojan. A good anti-virus software with current updates will usually trap this type of malware and protect your computer.

There is nothing that can be done to detect a snooper. Snooping is a passive process. One just sits and listens to the bits and bytes as they flow past.

Let me assure you, all your Internet transmissions are being logged – currently and constantly. Usually each router, bridge, or other Internet computer device will keep a record, even if temporarily, of the electronic traffic that flows through it. So, if you are in Maine and contact Point Bank in Denton, TX, there will probably be a router or bridge somewhere in the Northeast that doesn't know the Internet route to Point Bank's Webserver in north Texas. It will pass your transmission up to the next level, and keep doing that until some server/router/bridge identifies Point Bank's Webserver Internet route. At that point, this information will be passed back down until the router/bridge that you initially connect with will attach the Internet route to assure your transmissions reach Point Bank with minimal jumps and minimal time. And that router/bridge will retain that Internet route address for a certain "lifetime". That route is dynamic, if another route appears that is faster, the router/bridge will switch your transmissions to that route, or several routes, even during the same transmission session. And it is possible that one of those routers/bridges may record a kept-record of the transmissions flowing through it for a long time period.

Yes, any and all of your Internet activity is being logged . . . constantly. You don't need a software package to tell you this – ALL of your Internet transmissions are logged at one point or another, period.

For all of us, to keep us on Happy Trails (which I hope we will all do), keep your guard up and your computer "protected".

Ron

[W5WI]

Thanks Ron! I appreciate your expertise and willingness to help us understand and safeguard our internet activities!

cheers,

dale

[Festus2]

Just picked up my laptop after having a virus removed. I was told that the existing anti-virus program - Avast- a freebie which this computer store had installed when it was purchased, is simply not good enough any longer. He mentioned AVG as also being inadequate. Instead, he suggested installing Microsoft Security Essentials as it is reported to be better than either avast or AVG. Following his advice, I asked him to go ahead with this install.
I am not sure whether or not Windows Security Essentials contains a firewall, spyware or other identity theft protection but I do have a firewall from Windows. Updates are available on a regular and frequent basis.
He did mention that the people out there who are behind all of the viruses and other bad stuff that ends up on our computers are very sophisticated and it is becoming very difficult to keep up with them. The challenge for us, as Geo pointed out, is to keep our guard up and our computers protected.

[geo]

Look, I usually get back into all my materials and references. I want to give good information and not lead anyone down the rosey path. But I am very concerned for everyone. All that empathy we had drummed into us in the 1950s, etc.

You cannot be careful enough. I know that sometimes I take risks, and my wife doesn't understand, so she unknownly takes risks. In the past month, I have identified 2 Trojans on my primary computer. So, keep your security software up to date and scan AT LEAST (minimum) once a week! The more you scan, the better!

If you don't pay for your security software, in my own humble opinion, you are getting what you are asking - free and nothing. Yes, you may be on a limited budget, but if you are on a computer connected to the World (!), that budget needs to include computer protection. At our retirement age, we are not as "bullet proof" like we were at 16.

As said, the BIG 3 are: McAfee, Symantec (Norton), and Kaspersky. If you aren't paying anything for your security, expect the same. My own preference, which is not meant to sway anyone - make up your own mind, is McAfee. But I have had Norton and Kaspersky in the past and they were excellent also.

Please! As we approach the Holiday Season, the phishing and scamming will be on the increase. We humans tend to drop our guard during the Holidays. Remain vigilant, watchful. Your Bank is not going to send you an email containing a link to your account. You are not going to get US$15 Million from Cote de I'vorie or Ghana or anywhere else! You did not win the British lottery without buying a ticket. And that sunny vacation you just won that wants your credit card number to ship you the tickets . . . DON'T! If you are a US Baby Boomer, remember the '60s - "Question EVERYTHING!"

I'll leave it there, but I have another SSL/TLS Post in mind that I will try soon. In the meantime, remember - If it is too good to be true, it probably is.

Ron

[tocools]

Well I just installed Microsoft Security Essentials on another computer to see if it is any good I will let you know what I think of it in a few days.

[tocools]

We as I now have Microsoft Security Essentials on all ofour computers and it works great. It is all we use now the computer runs faster and it takes up less space then having all that other stuff so I would say we are very happy with it.

[geo]

It appears this subject has come up again recently in Yahoo! News. I thought I might be proper to bring this old thread up again to add this latest bit of information.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upgrade-...182159934.html

I will admit, this particular aspect of "stealing information" escaped my previous posts. It is not that I didn't know about setting up a spoof WiFi, it is just that I didn't think about it.

Not to be techie boring, but let me try to briefly explain how the spoof WiFi would work specifically in a campground environment. Using a WiFi compatible computer, "spoof" would connect to the campground WiFi via his computer's WiFi antenna/device. To this computer, "spoof" would connect a wireless router and set up a similarly named WiFi network. Example: Say the campground's WiFi from Tengo is named "tengo:mycamp". "Spoof" might set up a WiFi network named "tengo:my_camp".

In this case, the computer used by "spoof" would act as a network bridge - taking WiFi traffic back and forth from the campground WiFi to the "spoof" supplied WiFi. And, say you are about 300 feet from the campground office, where the campground WiFi antenna is located, but "spoof" is only 170 feet away at his campsite. I bet you can guess which has the stronger signal!

For "spoof", this is almost too easy. He sets his computer bridge up along with his separate WiFi and just lets it run. He captures anything and everything that passes across his computer bridge between WiFi networks. At his leasure, he can go back and check to see what websites were accessed, such as www.bankofamerica.com, and then look to see what keyed information followed connecting to that website. Even if you think you had a secured connection, those encrypted bytes of information would be saved (in an encrypted state) on "spoof's" computer. That information could be reused by "spoof" to gain access to your accounts!

So, how to protect yourself from this type of hacking? Probably the safest way is to specifically ask the campground management what the WiFi network is named. Admittedly, this question will often result in a blank stare from the check-in desk employee. But asking never hurts, even encouraging the check-in employee to find out if they can. That way, when your computer's WiFi network connects, you will be able to choose the correct WiFi network and not connect to "spoof". There are other means that are used in industry and military, such as the RSA security device. This device generates a random code every 15 seconds or so that has to be used to gain access during that 15 second period. I wish my bank would use such a device!

Another method might be thought of as basically "trial and error" and watchfulness. If you think there might be a rouge WiFi operating, ask the campground office where the WiFi antenna(s) are located in the campground. I would guess most of us are using laptops, so drive up to where the antenna is, fire up the laptop, and look to see what the strongest signal WiFi is named. Return to camp and find that same WiFi network.

I will admit, to do this WiFi hacking, one does have to understand many aspects of computers and networks, plus have supporting hardware to pull it off. But one only needs a laptop with a built-in WiFi antenna, a WiFi router (usually the size of a small hardbound book), and maybe a USB cable or Cat-5e cable, and probably a USB hard drive to dump milliions of characters of data. That is not much real equipment or expense.

I think I've posted this before - you, the computer user, are the best defense against identity theft and hacking. Be aware, run a quality Internet Security (and Virus) package, and just "think".

Ron

[f6bits]

Here’s the key bit of info from the article:

And when I see you're going to a bank, I can serve up my own [site] that looks and feels in every way like the bank's site."
And that's how he got my info. I thought I was going to a legitimate bank, but really it was Darren serving up an easily faked version of the site. It looked exactly the same as the real bank's site.

It was a faked site. Real banks have real SSL certificates. Make sure your secure connection is really a secure connection by checking the certificate status.

All my critical connections, even DNS, are secured and encrypted. If my connection seems bogus, I get a warning. And I keep an eye on my certificate status when connecting.

[geo]

Sdayman -

Very true. In the earlier portions of this post, that is pointed out. And in the story, that is exactly what the "hacker" did - set up a fake site. Very common phishing technique.

However, if one is just running a snooping pass through bridge, such as with Linux and using "snoop", every keystroke is recorded and every Website is legitimate because it is just a pass-through - right down to the TLS Certificate (SSL is not current secure technology, though the term is commonly used). All one is doing is passively recording every bit and byte of information. This exercise is one that is commonly used in a Networking Class to illustrate the dangers. Actually, one of the "cool" parts of the exercise is to pipe the keystrokes directly to the speakers! Cool!

You might want to be careful, though. If you are encrypting your DNS (Domain Naming Service), it may not be referencing other DNS servers on the Internet, so it may be sending you to bogus sites.

Ron