IS WiFi as safe as it sounds?

[vinividivici]

Hi,

My father has been using WiFi from a common access point... ie, a point from which many people can aces the internet wirelessly... (oh i forgot... he uses a laptop, provided by the university...)

I saw the google autocomplete yesterday, and saw somethings that nor my father, or i have searched... (we are the only ones using the laptop...) keywords like Bignatura[s...

Is this spyware or is it some shortcoming of wireless security?

Vishnu

PS; the laptop is Compaq nx6130 (if that's to be of any use)
PPS: the wifi is accessed from the library, where plenty o people acces the wifi thigny

 

[digen]

Well if the access point has been configured to use encryption such as WEP/WPA then IMO you father is in a better position security than no encryption at all.

To be honest even WEP is ok,instead of no encryption.Although you'll find many articles telling you how easy it is to crack WEP,but believe it isnt that simple as it sounds.You need a certain amount of IV i.e captured data on the wireless channel to crack it.

If you ask me using the Open WAP(Wireless access points) for private,important data is a bad way to go about it.For example making use of your online back account on a open wireless channel would lead to a disaster.

Which OS is your father using? I'm not a fan of software firewalls but for the any average computer user a software firewall would help him/her in detecting outbound connections.Does he have a software firewall installed?

 

[vinividivici]

thanks digen...

I had not thought about all the insecurity when using i wifi to open bank acc.s

Thanks for your time..

Vishnu