Free Holiday Wi-Fi from Google and a Security Reminder

It’s free. Really. “Google said will be offering free Wi-Fi to travellers across the United States starting Tuesday at 47 airports. Google says the Wi-Fi will be available until January 15, 2010.” And free is always a wonderful lure for people to try a product. Undoubtedly, millions of people will be giving airport Wi-Fi a try.

There is a downside, however. Not all Wi-Fi systems are the same. The Wi-Fi at airports is a dangerous combination. When you are at the airport, there are many things demanding your attention. One of the things that might not be foremost in your thoughts is Wi-Fi security. Hackers are counting on that.

Jeff Bertolucci, for PC World, gives five basic tips for Wi-Fi security:

“… Firewalls come with a range of configurations. “You can configure a firewall that is somewhat impermeable, and then there are times you can have it pretty open,” Figueroa says. “At a minimum, you’ll want to know when an incoming connection is attempting to gain access to your system.“”

link: Google’s Free Airport Wi-Fi: Five Ways to Protect Yourself

You may not want to do things like log into your bank to check your account balance. That can wait until you are on a connection that you know is absolutely secure. Jeff Bertolucci’s suggestions are only the beginning. Hackers may set up spoofing on a Wi-Fi system, for example. Just know that as happy as you were to see a Wi-Fi gift from Google, some hackers were looking at the announcement as a wonderful opportunity.

Catherine Forsythe