Is it Safe to Use Hotel Ethernet?

[kyphysics]

I've always been told that public WiFi is not safe and to only browse stuff online without logging into password protected sites when using it. I'm curious, however, about ethernet that is available at a hotel. Okay, not really sure ethernet is even the right word, but it's that "plug in" internet you can get from a hotel room. It's not WiFi. You have to plug a cord into your computer that goes into the hotel physical internet outlet thing.

I'm going to be traveling and staying at two hotels in mid-Sept. Wondering if it would be safe to plug my laptop in and do work and check financials stuff (where I'd be typing in passwords, going to sites with my bank acct. info, and places where my SS# are listed on my profile, etc.).

Could a hotel's ethernet be hacked by some guest and/or have malware on the network/system that infects me?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Could a hotel's ethernet be hacked by some guest and/or have malware on the network/system that infects me?

From what I understand, as long as you have the proper protections on your computer and are using an encrypted communication method, you should be fine. They can sniff the packets in the communication, but if it's encrypted, so what

The bigger danger is using public computers. Never log into sensitive accounts using a public computer. Even chromebooks I'd be wary.

 

[OCR]

. . . (where I'd be typing in passwords, going to sites with my bank acct. info, and places where my SS# are listed on my profile, etc.).

Lol. . . do you perform contract work for the government ? .

.

 

[jedishrfu]

It’s best to never use it because you can’t always be sure you’re using protected methods like a VPN or some other scheme. You can still get malware from some infected sites.

There is also the man in the middle attack where someone can intercept your communication and then forward things to the website capturing your data stream along the way without you knowing it. VPN will encrypt things so it’s harder for them to figure out what you’re doing but what if someone has cracked or can crack or will crack the encryption then you’re screwed.

Man in the middle with a hotspot at Coffee shops was a known scheme that people were warned about.

Watch Mr Robot to learn more.

 

[FactChecker]

I think that, realistically, you are being reasonably safe as long as your computer uses secure encryption and you check that the website is https. The 's' is for secure, meaning that it is also using the encryption.
After that, the greater risk is that the major companies that you deal with will be hacked and millions of people's information will be obtained. To reduce those risks, you can freeze your credit, use the security companies like Lifelock that search the dark web for your information, pay attention to any security warnings you get, and DO NOT SUPPLY INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO UNSOLICITATED SECURITY WARNING MESSAGES.

 

[jedishrfu]

Here's more on Lifelock for those interested in this service:

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/finance/lifelock-review/
I've not used it but remember some years ago when it first came on the market that the CEO made some very extravagant claims about its efficacy. However, they must have the tools now to do an effective search of the dark web although as the article mentions there are things you yourself can do by freezing your credit lines and by actively monitoring your credit reports.

Repeat after me:
- The internet is a just place except when its not.
- The internet always forgets things except when its an article about me.
- The internet is a great place for finding information except when its behind a paywall.
- The internet protects my anonymity except when I'm doxed.
...

 

[anorlunda]

Never do anything illegal, immoral or even embarrassing in any room that contains a computer. That is advice I used to give out in the early 90s.

But today, I would be hard pressed to find any room that doesn't have a computer. Even in the bathroom, I have a phone in my pocket.

 

[jedishrfu]

Whats creepy is that google can track your whereabouts and send you a weekly or monthly report. They do it through the google maps app especially if you allow it to run in the background.

I can envision a time when google aggregates things together and notices that you are with someone not your wife in a hotel room and then informs your spouse.

Be good and stay thirsty my friends.

 

[Bystander]

Be good and stay thirsty my friends.

Are you suggesting that, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," no longer applies?

 

[anorlunda]

They do it through the google maps app especially if you allow it to run in the background.

I get those reports, and based on the data, I'm convinced that they work off of pings from the phone to a tower.

I can see that when I go out on Lake Champlain with my boat with New York on one side, Vermont on the other, and long line-of-sight reaches. The report shows me in VT or NY, up to a 50 mile difference, with just a few minutes apart. Sometimes, I had not come within 30 miles of the reported location. Google Maps is much more accurate than that.

But the report never shows me crossing the Canadian border even when my phone says "Welcome to Canada." So I assume that Google has no arrangement with Canadian Rogers Telephone Co.

Snowden is almost forgotten today, but I have seen no changes. AFAIK, the carriers are allowed to sell metadata to anyone for any purpose.

 

[jedishrfu]

I think the google app and gps make it more exact as it showed my noontime walk around the campus.

 

[jedishrfu]

Are you suggesting that, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," no longer applies?

I think only applies if you're really in Vegas.

 

[kyphysics]

From what I understand, as long as you have the proper protections on your computer and are using an encrypted communication method, you should be fine. They can sniff the packets in the communication, but if it's encrypted, so what

The bigger danger is using public computers. Never log into sensitive accounts using a public computer. Even chromebooks I'd be wary.

How do you get "encryption" on a laptop (which is what I'll be bringing), GB? When you say proper protections, do you may anti-virus/internet security like Norton, Avast, etc.?

 

[jedishrfu]

Of course all the virus and malware protections are a given but in addition to that you need a vpn service so you can communicate via encryption. Someone listening on non encrypted transmissions can see everything you type and send.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_private_network
At one time, userids and passwords were attached to url strings or posted as normal text. Later the https url came into use so that while someone could see the website you’re accessing they can’t see specifics of the website you’re seeing and they can’t see the userid or password sign on.

A vpn can protect even that bit of info. What it can’t protect you from are keylogger malware that sends your keystrokes to some foreign server giving away the keys to your internet life to a bad actor. This is why malware and virus protections are needed too.

Using any device to surf the Internet is like living the life of Pi with the silent tiger in the same boat waiting for his next meal.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

How do you get "encryption" on a laptop (which is what I'll be bringing), GB? When you say proper protections, do you may anti-virus/internet security like Norton, Avast, etc.?

Here is a little guide
https://www.howtogeek.com/181767/htg-explains-what-is-https-and-why-should-i-care/
Any major brand anti virus will do, even default Windows Defender. My personal favorite at the moment is BitDefender.

 

[kyphysics]

Of course all the virus and malware protections are a given but in addition to that you need a vpn service so you can communicate via encryption. Someone listening on non encrypted transmissions can see everything you type and send.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_private_network
At one time, userids and passwords were attached to url strings or posted as normal text. Later the https url came into use so that while someone could see the website you’re accessing they can’t see specifics of the website you’re seeing and they can’t see the userid or password sign on.

A vpn can protect even that bit of info. What it can’t protect you from are keylogger malware that sends your keystrokes to some foreign server giving away the keys to your internet life to a bad actor. This is why malware and virus protections are needed too.

Using any device to surf the Internet is like living the life of Pi with the silent tiger in the same boat waiting for his next meal.

Ya know...I might just NOT use their ethernet!

Ya'll be scaring me!

 

[kyphysics]

Random question ~

Do you think more computers are hacked than houses are broken into?

 

[jedishrfu]

YES! We have so many wannabe hackers and script kiddies, criminal gangs, and gov'ts. It's crazy and soon people will be using dual networks schemes to isolate the home network from these guys and from the internet in general. You'd use a dedicated computer to access the internet but with no connection to your home network.

Could you define RANDOM in the context of your question?