Undated -- Most of us don't think twice about using Wi-Fi in a hotel, airport or coffee shop, but hackers can use them to steal private information and passwords. They sometimes even set up fake wi-fi hotspots for unsuspecting surfers.
Public wireless internet connections make it easy to stay connected while on the go.
These so called wi-fi hotspots are everywhere - at the airport, parks, libraries. It's convenient, but it can be dangerous.
Hackers now have the technology to steal your personal information.
Darren Kitchen exposes hacking techniques for a living. Using a laptop and a router - he created his own wi-fi hotspot at this cafe in San Jose, California. To people on their computers and smartphones, it looks like a safe network.
My Ipad automatically connected with Darren's Wi-Fi - not the Cafe's.
Kitchen said "I can see everything, I can see all of the emails, all of the instant messages, all of the web pages they go to, all of the passwords they type in."
When I go onto Facebook, he gets my user name and password.
But there are greater dangers - hackers could get hold more sensitive information like social security and credit card numbers.
Most wi-fi hotspots are not encrypted. Encryption scrambles your information--and without it, hackers can easily break in to your virtual world.
But there are some easy ways to protect yourself from these internet thieves. Make sure you know the name of the wifi hotspot you're connecting to. And avoid websites that require you to reveal any passwords or sensitive information.
If you must use wi-fi hotspots - experts say it's a good idea to purchase a VPN or virtual private network. That will encrypt your information and keep hackers from stealing what no one else should see.
CBS News/WFMY News 2
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