This is the first “Ask the Expert” column in which Private WiFi CEO and computer security expert Kent Lawson responds to readers’ questions. This column will be an ongoing, monthly series, and this inaugural column discusses VPNs and their importance in staying protected online.
You think you’re safe within the walls of your hotel room, but the minute you log on to the Internet you are potentially exposing yourself to privacy violations, identity theft, and a host of other cybercrimes you can’t even see happening. In this latest monthly installment of Ask the Expert, CEO Kent Lawson focuses on staying safe when you’re browsing online in your hotel room and the real reasons why a hotel cable connection is no safer than its WiFi connection. Ultimately, he says, the only way to protect yourself in hotels, whether using WiFi or a cable connection, is to use a virtual private network.
We’ve all heard about antivirus software and firewalls. But we probably don’t know as much about the third leg of computer protection: a VPN, or virtual private network. In his latest article, company CEO Kent Lawson says we do this at our peril, because the damage we can suffer from not using a VPN may far outweigh the risks of the other two combined. After the large-scale hack attacks over the past few years, VPNs are now earning their spot as the third security leg that is vital to every-day computer security.
Recently, the FTC posted an article on their website stating that hotel WiFi is dangerous and that users should not assume that just because they pay for Internet access that their connection is secure.
We couldn’t agree more. In fact, I have been stating this fact since we launched PRIVATE WiFi nearly five years ago. This is an important topic because hotel traveler’s rank WiFi access at hotels as the number one amenity that they look for when booking hotel rooms.
VPNs weren’t originally designed strictly as a privacy tool. Rather, they were created so that remote workers could have access to their company’s network. Over time, they evolved into a great way to protect your data on insecure WiFi networks. In a recent article on ITProPortal, James Longworth, a security expert at Insight UK, argues… Read More
Being the CEO of Private WiFi means I’m on the road a lot, which also means that I’m constantly staying in hotels as I travel. As you might guess, I’m always logging onto the Internet when I stay at these hotels using the hotel WiFi network. Before I get into the reason why I’m writing… Read More
You may have heard about New York City’s new plan to turn old phone booths into public WiFi hotspots. This project, called LinkNYC, is being implemented in all five boroughs and may provide as many as 7500 free public WiFi hotspots across the city. Each hotspot has a 10 foot tall monolith, and not only… Read More
Have you been in an airport lately? While some people travel for leisure to escape always being “connected”, there are others who find it necessary to stay in touch. Here are some recommendations for keeping your personal information safe while on the road.
Google’s new privacy policy changes have many privacy advocates up in arms. It begs the question: does our personal information belong to us or the corporations that collect it? Instead of being forced to adhere to these data collection rules in order to use a popular product, shouldn’t we insist that companies give us the option to allow or deny them permission to track and store our personal information? What happens if hackers get ahold of this information?
Read on for more information about Google’s new privacy policies.
If you care about Facebook using your personal information in their advertisements, and want to opt out, check out this article. It explains a few new worries with the social media giant, including its “social ads” program.
