Logging into wireless another question??

Ok, so at work our network is down, brought the laptop in today and have managed to link to someones wireless without needing a password? Now is this dangerous for my pc ie virus etc, or is it safe, might be a silly question but just wondering??

if your on a high street more than likely you connected to bt open or the cloud which are both free wireless hotspot providers so more than likely safe

It is never safe to simply log into any open network or so called hot spot. If you have not been required to provide a password then the network is not secure. You should however be fairly safe for normal browsing if your anti virus software is up todate on your client. Never do internet banking or anything that requires you to enter your personal details on an open network.

So its safe to do emails to clients, and be on here of course lol

I'd have thought so. I take it you do have an anti virus?

Yep

Janey , when you're working do you connect via a VPN tunnel (you will know as you'd have to log on to another thing (maybe cisco systems) to get online to work, after you get on the internet ??. If this is the case then your work side is pretty safe , but if not and you have important or sensitive data I would be reluctant to do it like this.
Your antivirus if you have it would normally ask you when you connect for what type of connection it is , ie home , unsecured etc and if you answer correctly should set your security accordingly , but as others say don't go on banking , credit cards etc just to be certain

I had to set it as a public network thing, sorry the rest of what you said went over my head lol! After what happened last year with identity theft I won't disclose any personal info whilst on this network!

Just seems really wierd being online and not paying for it so to speak, thanks for the reasurance, I need it to do some work, I do do some occasionally!

i never do banking online don't matter how good your firewall is if someone wants your info they will get it... only safe way of not getting done over is not putting your info on the net.....

i never will put my saving account on here the net. what i do is i have another account with another bank and have got a card where i cant go over drawn and only have small amount of money in it. so if one day a scumbag gets my info they wont be running away with everything i've got.

I do online banking & I've never had a problem. It's as secure as using your card in a cash or chip & pin machine, maybe even more secure! If anyone hacked my bank details the only one to blame would be the Co-Op & they'd reimburse me.

There are so many personal details on the net that you have no idea about - NI details, tax details, birth records etc. Anybody can get hold of a birth certificate, for example, & use it for id purposes.

nothing is secure on the net you only need to click the one wrong thing and everything you type on your keyboard will be sent to a scumbag..

But the internet banking sites are secure. There aren't any links on them that you can click by accident. Have you ever tried them?

they not secure they say they but they not... you only need to go on the wrong website or d/l the wrong dodgy problem and your in trouble.....

Steve wrote:they not secure they say they but they not... you only need to go on the wrong website or d/l the wrong dodgy problem and your in trouble.....

But I would never go on the wrong website for internet banking. I don't see why anybody would.

caryll no i mean if you go on the wrong website you can get adware, melware, keylooger and so on

some programs will record everything you do on the website. so if you go on a bank site it will record all your passwords and usernames.

with barclays your log in differant every time as you get a little keypad that genarates a code every time you need to go on there banking site so i would have thought thnat would be safe as details diff every time so what works this time will be duff later

but u will have to receiver a new one which a scumbag could easy get if they want it

they would need to nick my keypad first lol
anyway iv got nowt in the bank so they wouldnt get much anyway plus do all my banking the old fashioned way just use internet to check balance

Steve wrote:caryll no i mean if you go on the wrong website you can get adware, melware, keylooger and so on

some programs will record everything you do on the website. so if you go on a bank site it will record all your passwords and usernames.

That's why I use a spyware & malware scan every week plus the usual anti virus. They're updated every time I use them so they're current with all the new spyware etc.

Do you never buy anything online?

bigwazza wrote:with barclays your log in differant every time as you get a little keypad that genarates a code every time you need to go on there banking site so i would have thought thnat would be safe as details diff every time so what works this time will be duff later

The co-op has a similar thing with payments & you have to enter a different security question each time.

Lloyds business account has the keypad thing, but the normal accounts dont. My mum had her online account hacked, but the bank paid back all the money that had been taken out. I have also had my bank card cloned and used, again the bank gave me everything back. There are ways people can get to your money if they want to, but as much as possible is done to make it hard for them.

Unfortunatly people can get any info on you they want! I spoke to a bloke on a forum once, then my house phone rang. I never answer the house phone as it is only ever people that are trying to sell something. He then put "why didn't you answer your phone?" and put my phone number up on an open forum! I have not been back on the forum since, and nothing else has happened either, thank god!

I was victim of identity theft last year, they managed to hack into everything, it was pretty scary, still not a clue how they got all the information they did!

janey wrote:

I was victim of identity theft last year, they managed to hack into everything, it was pretty scary, still not a clue how they got all the information they did!

too many diders and a hansome getleman lol

bigwazza wrote:

janey wrote:

I was victim of identity theft last year, they managed to hack into everything, it was pretty scary, still not a clue how they got all the information they did!

too many diders and a hansome getleman lol

Caryll wrote:

Steve wrote:caryll no i mean if you go on the wrong website you can get adware, melware, keylooger and so on

some programs will record everything you do on the website. so if you go on a bank site it will record all your passwords and usernames.

That's why I use a spyware & malware scan every week plus the usual anti virus. They're updated every time I use them so they're current with all the new spyware etc.

Do you never buy anything online?

only time i use my card is paying for the forum and website.... i don't think they can pick up keylogger, some new spyware or melware wont get pick up before they start picking them up it could be to late.

Buster's_Mum wrote:Lloyds business account has the keypad thing, but the normal accounts dont. My mum had her online account hacked, but the bank paid back all the money that had been taken out. I have also had my bank card cloned and used, again the bank gave me everything back. There are ways people can get to your money if they want to, but as much as possible is done to make it hard for them.

Unfortunatly people can get any info on you they want! I spoke to a bloke on a forum once, then my house phone rang. I never answer the house phone as it is only ever people that are trying to sell something. He then put "why didn't you answer your phone?" and put my phone number up on an open forum! I have not been back on the forum since, and nothing else has happened either, thank god!

this is why i only use my main account in the bank, never use it in shops or online....

I know you want to be safe, Steve. I appreciate that. But I couldn't survive without the ability to buy online now.

u been net hook

No, Steve, but there are things I buy that I just couldn;t get otherwise - I just wouldn't know where or how to look for them.

Caryll I am with you on this one. One needs to be cautious and aware of phising and malware but on line banking and shopping on line has the same risks as using atm or handing your card over to pay for your coffee in the mall. Just have to use common sense all round.

I keep leaving my bank details everywhere. One day I'm hoing someone will hack me and put some money in there

janey wrote:

I need it to do some work, I do do some occasionally!

You've changed

BlueStaffBlue wrote:

janey wrote:

I need it to do some work, I do do some occasionally!

You've changed

i know blue its the owners of the gallery they get a hump if she just lets people walk out with the paintings

I have to agree with them, it's bad mannered.
Is leaving a can of cider for Janey in return to much to ask for?