Online banking? Don’t risk it.
Above all, never, ever use unsecured Wi-Fi to access a banking site. Anyone else connected to that network with the right tools can read your log-in and password (sometimes even if the banking site itself is secure), grab control of your account and start moving your money out. If you need to do a bank transaction while traveling and can’t find a secure connection, use the bank’s toll-free number and call instead.
Never share with strangers.
When you connect to any public Wi-Fi network, whether it’s secured or not, you’re sharing that network with everyone else who’s connected to it. Without some protections in place, anyone else could open a connection to your machine. First of all, make sure any file-sharing that might be turned on is disabled. Second, always use a software firewall — like the one in ESET Multi-Device Security — whenever you use public Wi-Fi.
These concerns about public access points apply every bit as much when you’re in your own hometown. But when you’re traveling and looking for a way to connect, you’re much more likely to be tempted by the convenience to use them in an unsecure way. And the bad guys know it.
ESET Ireland 