Many people don’t require intensive computing tasks for their daily requirements. As a result, they could stay fully productive with only laptops. Because laptops are also running fully-featured operating system, there should be no reduction in productivity. We are still able to run any desktop software, although there are distinct differences in performance, unless we have a high-end laptop model. If we make our laptop as primary computer unit, it is important to properly secure it. Before we go, we should make sure that we have installed all security patches and this will protect us against latest malware.
Public WiFi connections are generally not secure and they can be infected by various dangerous codes. Some WiFi servers could even be deliberately infected with malware and this could make our laptops vulnerable. We should create backup of data, so when our laptop is infected, we won’t lose our data. Our laptop could also be stolen and recovering our data will be easier to do if we have backed up our information in different media, such as DVD and USB flash drive. Hackers are looking to exploit different opportunities. Many people need to quickly check their email and they could rely on public WiFi.
Whenever possible, we should avoid using such a connection. It would be better to tether our laptop with the smartphone in our pocket and get connected with standard cellular network. This could be quite expensive in countries with high mobile data costs, so it is a good idea to invest on monthly data package. Portable hotspot connection with our smartphone should be protected with security mechanism, preferably WPA2 PSK. We should use complex password that combines alphabets and numbers, because some snoopers could scan the area for WiFi connections and break into the password to steal critical information.
When using public WiFi, we should avoid logging into any kind of account, including email and social media. We should use the connection only to access information on public websites, such as Wikipedia and various news websites. Obviously, any connection to financial services, such as Internet banking should be performed only with secure connection and it doesn’t include our hotel’s WiFi connection. When using laptops, it is quite common that we use our friend’s or co-worker’s flash drive to transfer some files. However, this is a common method to spread malware unknowingly.
The first thing that we need to do is to turn off the Autoplay mode. Some antivirus tools are able to automatically scan a USB flash drive that’s recently connected. This will make sure that we won’t be infected with anti-malware and anti-virus before files are opened. When we return home, it is important to scan and patch our computer, while we are taking a bath or watching TV. This will take only less than 15 minutes with standard DSL connections. Eventually, we will be ready for another busy day at the office or distant countries, without worrying about data theft and malware infections.