Do you use a VPN when connected to a free hotspot?

[freebird73717]

I got a new laptop for my wife to use in nursing school. From time to time she will be logging onto free wifi hotspots to use the internet. Do you recommend any specific software to keep her laptop safe. I already have firewall and antivirus installed but I want to know about vpn's or other security methods for wifi.

I installed hotspot shield but she told me that it had conflicts with firefox and wouldn't connect to the network with firefox. I've also found a program called iPIG but haven't tried it yet and it seems to only be limited to 10mb for the free program.

What do you use to keep safe on public hotspots?

[stiltman]

disable ad-hoc
disable file print sharing
make folders private
password protect username
rename administrator account to something else
create new administrator account and give it no rights

[freebird73717]

Hey stiltman

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm no nothing about wifi so I have a lot of learning to do. I will implement said suggestions as soon as possible.

[ahhaa]

stiltman's suggestions are great; I'd only add Firefox has a NoScript addon which may help prevent social engineering lures from activating

[DereX888]

stiltman's suggestions are great; I'd only add Firefox has a NoScript addon which may help prevent social engineering lures from activating

or even better a K-Meleon web browser (more customizable than Ffox, much lighter - which probably counts on a laptop's limited resources, and still without any security holes whatsoever yet).

Also limit/restrict network access for Administrator's account, "demote" her user account to a limited user, revoke any network access rights, disable "Guest" account (if not disabled by default) and use strong passwords for user and admin (that means using small/capital letters, numbers and symbols too in a password phrase).

I'm using only wi-fi hotspots for years when I'm "on the go", and I haven't had any problems ever.

Just one more tip:
Educate her to always use secure connection (SSL etc) when logging in to her web accounts such as msn, hotmail, gmail etc.
And never log in to your bank or paypal and such when youre on a public or private hotspot (specially private open hotspots - there is always something fishy about people leaving their hotspots wide open for strangers... I always feel more "secure" when I have to bruteforce into someone's hotspot raather than being "lured" to it )

[stiltman]

And never log in to your bank or paypal and such when youre on a public or private hotspot (specially private open hotspots - there is always something fishy about people leaving their hotspots wide open for strangers... I always feel more "secure" when I have to bruteforce into someone's hotspot raather than being "lured" to it )

Best advise given so far

[freebird73717]

Yep. That was one of the first things I told her when I gave it to her. I don't know much about wifi but I knew I didn't want that stuff on an open network.

Last thing I need is some ambitious wanabe hacker trying to get into my financial stuff...even if I don't have any money to steal!

Thanks for all the suggestions guys! I really appreciate it!