If you use your laptop in local coffee shops or on collegiate campuses, you must be aware that Firesheep attacks are a serious threat to the security of your personal information. Because of a Firefox add-on that has been downloaded hundreds of thousands of times, any time you access a password protected site, others on the network can get instant access. This is dangerous stuff when you consider how much information we maintain on web-based servers, so protecting yourself should be your number one priority! Social networking sites tend to be the most vulnerable as the security measures that they maintain do not match the types of encryption that you will find with your financial institution. And, while this may not send you into a panic, your personal information is still at risk.
Firesheep should make you nervous, as there's no telling what someone will do when they can get into your social networking mailbox. Consider the use of a VPN, or Virtual Private Network, to avoid any attacks that may occur when using a public Wi-Fi network. Usually inexpensive in nature, the right VPN subscription can ensure that you have secured and private access to the Internet no matter which Wi-Fi network you may be currently using.
Also referred to as "side-jacking", this style of hacking may cause you some stress the next time you log onto your Facebook account at a local Starbucks. It's good that you're concerned, but overall, not all is lost. A VPN will encrypt your browsing session, keeping all of your sensitive information out of the hands of "data sniffers" like the Firesheep application.
Created by Eric Butler, Firesheep is an extension that works within the Firefox web browser. It allows other hackers that may be logged into the same Wi-Fi network to see everything you are seeing while surfing the Internet with a simple "double-click". Originally created to simply prove just how vulnerable many of these sites are to cyber-attacks, the browser extension became incredibly popular within just a few hours. Anytime someone creates something of this nature, hundreds of thousands of hackers across the globe will immediately search for ways to use it against novice Wi-Fi users.
Use a VPN service to protect yourself from applications or extensions like Firesheep, and you'll never need to worry about who may be watching when you are perusing your Facebook account over a cup of coffee on Saturday morning!
For the best security in Wi-Fi networks, I recommend SunVPN, a premium VPN Service Provider. SunVPN features 256 bits AES secure encryption, comes with it's customized installer and is the best OpenVPN service I have personally used so far.
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