[RESOLVED] Is it safe to use hotel internet connections?

[broadley]

I'm planning to go overseas (USA) and want to use my laptop to connect to the internet for normal surfing, including checking bank account balances, web mail, etc. I'm wondering if there are any dangers in using these connections in a hotel?

I keep my laptop OS patched and my antivirus software (ZASS) up to date. I also run regular scans using Malwarebytes, SUPERAntiSpyware & Windows Defender (each also updated regularly).

My guess is that using an ethernet connection in a hotel should be as safe as using it at home. Am I correct in this assumption? Also, what if the hotel has a wireless connection available to guests. Would it be safe to use it, and what precautions would I need to take? I have some doubts about this one.

I use Firefox 3.5.5 which has a number of Add-ons, including AVG Safe Search, KeyScrambler 2.6. & WOT installed. I also have a sand box programme (Sandboxie) installed. Does this have any limitations?

Your wisdom and advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks

[Train]

I have had no problems with any of that using the motel wireless setup.

Although you can ask and some places do have rooms that are wired for cat 5.

Just be sure you have a 120V power adapter for the laptop as that is our voltage.
Yours is 240V if i remember right and use a different electrical socket.

[jdlenke]

Also make sure that you are actually using the hotels' wireless connection and not one someone set up to phish with.

As an aside a friend of mine went to a hotel and used the complimentary computer room to check e-mail and there must have been a keylogger installed because her ISP shutdown her mail account because of spamming just after she used that computer.

[HAN]

My ultra conservative opinion is that unless you are using an encrypted VPN that connects to a trusted source, I would only do general surfing. Anything that needed/used a password would not be something I would be comfortable with, like banking, email, etc.

I suppose I could live with email but I would change the password as soon as I could once the trip is over. But there is no way I would do financial stuff.

[broadley]

Thanks for all the wisdom. I take the point about email. I used a hotel PC in Honolulu last year which must have had a keylogger installed. When I got home somebody was using my bandwidth until I changed my password.

If I only use hotel ethernet connections rather than wireless would that reduce any risk? Also would using a sandbox help? What’s a VPN? Is it easy for dummies to set up?

My laptop has dual voltage (100 – 240 v) so that’s not a problem (I have plug adaptors to suit US outlets).

Thanks

[fink]

If I only use hotel ethernet connections rather than wireless would that reduce any risk

Yes, to a considerable degree. wirelless communications are out in the open for anyone to intercept. Wired would have to be an inside job by hotel employees... not a common thing fortunately.

A sandbox would be useful if you were downloading/opening files from unknown sources.

VPN.. virtual private network... probably not convenient if your moving from one hotel to another and have various sites to connect to. Would be more useful if you wanted to set one up to your permanent workplace.

http://searchenterprisewan.techtarge...213324,00.html

[HAN]

I agree that a wired connection should be safer than wifi. But as fink notes, it's still not private. In the end, a VPN is the only safe method.

Also, as fink mentioned, a VPN is a private network. So you are closed off from others, even though you are using the same connection. We use a VPN for remote connections back to our office. (The remote PC runs software that connects to our firewall and the connection traffic is only unencrypted past each end point. So while the traffic is on the web, it's fully encrypted.)

You can subscribe to VPN services for use while you travel. Comodo offers TrustConnect as part of their paid security sollution.
http://www.comodo.com/home/internet-...i-security.php

There are also some others available as a VPN client only. Here is a VPN service that is pretty affordable.
http://www.hotspotvpn.com/

[Carolyn@iBAHN]

As well as using a VPN, the safest option if using wireless would be the extra security offered by Wireless Protected Access (WPA). As the security protocol of the Wi-Fi Alliance it’s the best out there (see http://www.wi-fi.org/). Some but not all wireless providers offer the option to select WPA when you log in, for no extra charge.

To fink’s comments on wired connections – any other person within the hotel building could in theory intercept your connection if it’s not properly protected (not just hotel employees). You need a provider like iBAHN who offers a fully secure system, even between rooms, to be sure your data is safe.

[broadley]

Thanks for all the advice. The idea of using the Comodo TrustConnect software sounds like good advice, especially if I have to use a wireless connection. I use WPA but the VPN alternative seems good.