Internet usage on the road

[RICK-ards_Red]

We are dreaming of becoming snowbirds, hopefully next year. My question is how and where do you do internet banking such as transferring money and checking accounts. This past summer we went on an extended road trip and had things set up before and when we stayed with a family member we could use their protected internet to check accounts etc.

Any campgrounds we stayed at all had public access internet but I didn't want to be doing personal banking on it.

thanks

[STBRetired]

John&Joey wrote:
On the topic of security patches, Windows come with automatic updates turned on as standard. If you attempt to turn it off you will get a lot of "don't do it stupid" type of lingo.

Would love to see a document on how one of these "hackers" could install a Trojan horse on a standard strangers laptop by being logged into the same network.

If that was truly the case just think of the thousands of hotels out there with Wi-Fi for their business clients and the liability they would incur.

This link lists a large number of vulnerabilities that are out there. Any that allow remote execution of arbitrary code can be exploited to install keyloggers or Trojans onto an unpatched machine.

The network provider is not liable for any losses incurred by users on that network that are hacked by other users on that same network. That would be like blaming the phone company for prank calls. It is your responsibility to protect yourself from the viruses on the Internet, not your Internet Provider.

[John_Joey]

On the topic of security patches, Windows come with automatic updates turned on as standard. If you attempt to turn it off you will get a lot of "don't do it stupid" type of lingo.

Would love to see a document on how one of these "hackers" could install a Trojan horse on a standard strangers laptop by being logged into the same network.

If that was truly the case just think of the thousands of hotels out there with Wi-Fi for their business clients and the liability they would incur.

[2oldman]

STBRetired wrote:
That being said, there isn't much profit to be made from hacking a single individual, unless they are a multimillionaire. The serious hackers are interested in breaking into businesses or banks or stock exchanges, not some guy in an RV in Arizona.

Exactly.

[almcc]

I think as Canadians we have an advantage, our banks are larger and the ones I deal with have a guarantee that if you are hit they will reimburse you for any losses.

Don't use Roam mobility, they twin with T Mobile, I tried them last year and the coverage in the US is terrible. An AT&T Hotspot works well for us.

[trtog7]

I would assume the original post is from Ontario Canada not Ontario California which puts him in a different category then any American concerning WIFI on the road
Our cell phones will work in the USA but with huge roaming fees
It is better for a Canadians to set up a mobile hotspot if they do not want to use public wifi for paying bills etc
I use Tracfone for phone calls in USA even though I have problems with them They will not send SIM cards to Canada and for us that do not go to one place it is a problem to give them an address Looking at Boost for wifi this trip
Roam Mobility looks good but you need to have cell phone that works on their system.
They supply wifi and unlimited calls in USA and Canada for a reasonable price
We are very close neighbours but technology does not cross the border

[STBRetired]

The easiest people to hack are the ones who do not stay current on their patching. There are lots of way in besides the ports used by browsers and file sharing. I could come in through an unpatched vulnerability in some obscure network port and just install a keylogger. Next time you log in, I have your password. Then I wait for you to log in to your bank and I have your password for that too. Not all that hard to do if you don't keep up with your security patching. Just for kicks I occasionally run the vulnerability scanner we use at work on the random folks at the local coffee shop. I often find vulnerabilities that were patched 5 or 6 years ago.

That being said, there isn't much profit to be made from hacking a single individual, unless they are a multimillionaire. The serious hackers are interested in breaking into businesses or banks or stock exchanges, not some guy in an RV in Arizona. Stay current with your patches, use HTTPS always, use a VPN when you are dealing with sensitive information, and you will be pretty safe, even on public WIFI.

[John_Joey]

If you're using Windows all you need to do is pick a file folder that you are concerned about. Right click on it, pick "properties" and then pick the "sharing" tab. If it says not shared then I doubt very much anyone will ever see that one on any public Wi-Fi site regardless what BS hackers will attempt to scare you with.

Simply changing your workgroup name will defeat 99% of these so called hacker experts. You can google that to learn how.

As far as banking, as someone else mention it's all about https and the bank is responsible for a secure connection for the data stream.

[2oldman]

Ed_Gee wrote:
I view using public WiFi somewhat akin to walking around your livingroom naked with the drapes open on the front windows.

I've done that.

OP is gone. Doesn't look like he returns to any of his posts.

[Ed_Gee]

John I Haggerty wrote:
Watch out for "fake news". Hacking into banking transactions is for the more advanced hacker. It's not worth the time. As one who knows how to hack to some extent, I don't worry about it.

Much easier is hacking into your device while using public services and searching your files. Way too much information is contained in files. Most common file hacked is named Passwords. With your passwords they're "in".

It certainly is! I have done this myself some years ago in a fit of boredom in the RV. Amazing how easy to access other people's Hard drives on those public wifi networks. I had no malevolent intent, but others certainly might. I view using public WiFi somewhat akin to walking around your livingroom naked with the drapes open on the front windows.

[doxiemom11]

The bank or credit card company provide the security for your internet connection, not the internet company. Just look for https with a lock at the beginning of the address. That tells you that you have a secured, locked connection.

[John_Joey]

...Much easier is hacking into your device while using public services and searching your files. Way too much information is contained in files. Most common file hacked is named Passwords. With your passwords they're "in".

Let's see first the laptop would have to be in the same work group. OK most people don't change that, but easy to change once you understand how. Second the only files that are accessible in a workgroup would be the ones in "Public" all others are not defaulted to share so even if the work group was the same not much there for the hacker.

If it was really that easy to "hack" don't you think there would be an uproar. Give some real evidence of this happening and I'll buy into it.

[rdmike]

donn0128 wrote:
Internet? Use your smart phones hotspot, or buy a mifi box from ATT or Verizon.

X2

[John_I_Haggerty]

Watch out for "fake news". Hacking into banking transactions is for the more advanced hacker. It's not worth the time. As one who knows how to hack to some extent, I don't worry about it.

Much easier is hacking into your device while using public services and searching your files. Way too much information is contained in files. Most common file hacked is named Passwords. With your passwords they're "in".

[Padlin]

We have one of the 2ndary carriers that provide cheap cell service, no hotspot possible. Went with a prepaid Hotspot from Verizon which I enable only when traveling.