
One of my favourite pastimes I like to do in Starbucks is eavesdropping on everybody’s conversation online. Since Starbucks offers free internet access, everybody will be busy sipping their coffee and texting messages with their devices. None of these coffee drinkers really know how vulnerable they are and how to protect themselves from theft online like me.
I turn on my Mac and run an application to collect data over the wireless network. Then I go queue up for my coffee. By the time I am back, I have collected enough data for me to read. Most of the data are instant messaging conversations. Sometimes I do intercept email and photos.
If I find something interesting about a conversation, I will lift my head up and try to identify who the person is. One time, my coffee buddy says, “Give him another ten minutes and we can leave.” I subconsciously reply saying, “Take his time, we can leave once he is done with his wife.” He looks up to me and asks how I know he is chatting online with his wife.
What if you are transmitting important information over an unsecured connection and I happen to stumble upon it? How to prevent a thief like me that is snooping what is in the air?
The easiest and fastest way on how to prevent theft online is to get yourself a VPN, short for Virtual Private Network. VPN creates a secure network by encrypting your data between you and your destination site over a public network such as the internet. There are many flavors of security standard known as protocols. The commonly used protocols are IPsec, L2TP, and SSL/TLS. These VPNs can be configured for use in PDA such as iPhone too. For the highest security, use SSL/TLS or sometime also label as SSL VPN.
Get yourself familiar with VPN technologies today, ask for a trial package from your provider and start learning how to prevent theft online.
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