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USB tethering to laptop safe?

bucky
Explorer II
Explorer II
I use my Verizon Android tethered to a laptop for internet access when traveling. Would a sniffer be able to find and access the connection? I've been thinking it would be secure but would like to know for sure.
Thanks for any input.
Puma 30RKSS
26 REPLIES 26

austinjenna
Explorer
Explorer
I make my password 'Incorrect' so if I type something else it will tell me 'Your password is Incorrect' my computer is so smart!

2010 F350 CC Lariat 4x4 Short Bed
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Bobbo
Explorer II
Explorer II
Use a password form. Have a set part, and a variable part. An example (this password form is made up and is not mine)

My first cousin is named Hal. I start all passwords with "H@l". (note that I changed the "a" to the "@" sign).

I then use the first 3 letters of the website. RV.NET would therefore get "rvn".

I then use a number, like the first 4 numbers of my parents' phone number growing up, "3652".

Therefore, my RV.NET password would be H@lrvn3652. Every website would have a different password since letters 4, 5 and 6 would change with every website, but I would only have 3 different letters to remember, and the website name gives me those.
Bobbo and Lin
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fj12ryder
Explorer III
Explorer III
Testudo wrote:
Dutch_12078 wrote:
An ideal password is very long and made up of a random mixture of upper and lower case characters, special characters, and numbers. And is nearly impossible to memorize


...but a very long password is the _point_ - - a memorable phrase like "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog", would take many years to 'force'.

( ...Just don't use THAT password ! That's MY password ! )
I'm thinking it wouldn't take that long since all the words are found in an English dictionary. Take out all the spaces and make it all one word, that might help.

I use Roboform to keep track of all my passwords. I couldn't even begin to remember as many as there are.
Howard and Peggy

"Don't Panic"

Testudo
Explorer
Explorer
Dutch_12078 wrote:
An ideal password is very long and made up of a random mixture of upper and lower case characters, special characters, and numbers. And is nearly impossible to memorize


...but a very long password is the _point_ - - a memorable phrase like "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog", would take many years to 'force'.

( ...Just don't use THAT password ! That's MY password ! )
Testudo & Princesse Caribou
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2oldman
Explorer II
Explorer II
john&bet wrote:
This is all greek to me. AKA, you lost me.
All I know about this that it takes 8 bits to make a byte, which is one character. So the letter A is 8 bits. I do not know if that's what they're talking about.
"If I'm wearing long pants, I'm too far north" - 2oldman

Dutch_12078
Explorer II
Explorer II
john&bet wrote:
This is all greek to me. AKA, you lost me.

It means the longer and more random the password is, the more secure it is. An ideal password is very long and made up of a random mixture of upper and lower case characters, special characters, and numbers. And is nearly impossible to memorize... ๐Ÿ˜‰
Dutch
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john_bet
Explorer
Explorer
magicbus wrote:
Ah, never saw it expressed this way before.

However your statement re: 32-bits for banking does beg the question why would you use that when their own chart says that is "weak"?

Password strength is determined with this chart, which might be a bit of a stretch for a non-critical password:

< 28 bits = Very Weak; might keep out family members
28 - 35 bits = Weak; should keep out most people, often good for desktop login passwords
36 - 59 bits = Reasonable; fairly secure passwords for network and company passwords
60 - 127 bits = Strong; can be good for guarding financial information
128+ bits = Very Strong; often overkill
This is all greek to me. AKA, you lost me.
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bob_nestor
Explorer III
Explorer III
wa8yxm wrote:
First nothing on the internet is 100% secure. there are always to "Hack it" but the common Wi-Fi Sniffer can not hack a wire.. Only a radio.

So that is the MOST secure connection you can do.


Those packets are only secure on the journey to the first router. Beyond that you don't know what medium will be used to get the packet to the next router downstream and it could be wireless. Plus even on a wired network someone with access to the wire and knowledge can sniff or dump all the traffic. If you want a higher level of security you need to encrypt the packets end-to-end.

mich800
Explorer
Explorer
bucky wrote:
Thanks everybody.
I occasionally have to do some banking while on the road and was wondering.


Depending on what you are doing for banking. I pay most my bills directly via their specific app on my phone or directly in my banks app. Although there are some things that are easier from my laptop.

2oldman
Explorer II
Explorer II
bucky wrote:
I occasionally have to do some banking while on the road and was wondering.
Keep doing your banking. You'll be fine.
Chuck_thehammer wrote:
be more concerned with the "MASS" hacking.. like credit companies.. major banking... major Stores.
^ this is the real threat.
"If I'm wearing long pants, I'm too far north" - 2oldman

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Explorer III
First nothing on the internet is 100% secure. there are always to "Hack it" but the common Wi-Fi Sniffer can not hack a wire.. Only a radio.

So that is the MOST secure connection you can do.
Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
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magicbus
Explorer
Explorer
Ah, never saw it expressed this way before.

However your statement re: 32-bits for banking does beg the question why would you use that when their own chart says that is "weak"?

Password strength is determined with this chart, which might be a bit of a stretch for a non-critical password:

< 28 bits = Very Weak; might keep out family members
28 - 35 bits = Weak; should keep out most people, often good for desktop login passwords
36 - 59 bits = Reasonable; fairly secure passwords for network and company passwords
60 - 127 bits = Strong; can be good for guarding financial information
128+ bits = Very Strong; often overkill
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mike-s
Explorer
Explorer
magicbus wrote:
Chuck_thehammer wrote:
verizon hotspot....

4 years full time.. not one issue. banking and all.. just use 16 bit or higher passwords.

I use 32 bit passwords for bank stuff.

be more concerned with the "MASS" hacking.. like credit companies.. major banking... major Stores.

:h
32-bit passwords? That's only 4 characters. I don't think any sites accept a 4 character password.

Dave
It takes 7 or 8 ASCII characters to get 32 bits of entropy. There's a calculator here.

magicbus
Explorer
Explorer
Chuck_thehammer wrote:
verizon hotspot....

4 years full time.. not one issue. banking and all.. just use 16 bit or higher passwords.

I use 32 bit passwords for bank stuff.

be more concerned with the "MASS" hacking.. like credit companies.. major banking... major Stores.

:h
32-bit passwords? That's only 4 characters. I don't think any sites accept a 4 character password.

Dave
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