| "> | | | | of them offer wireless connections. This adds an |
| Hotels manage to make guests feel like they are | | | | extra layer of protection since the router used to |
| in a home away from home by offering various | | | | get the signal out has built-in security features. |
| amenities that the guest would normally have. | | | | Even though a router does offer advanced |
| One of the most requested, and most often | | | | security features, it still does not mean the |
| used, amenities is an active Internet connection. | | | | user’s personal information is being |
| While guests can surf the Internet, check e-mails, | | | | protected. Man-in-the-middle attacks are still |
| or teleconference back home, they fail to notice | | | | possible, and more than one of every five hotels |
| just how unsafe most Internet connections really | | | | have reported attacks and malicious activity on |
| are. Hotel guests travel for various reasons, | | | | their network. Man-in-the-middle attacks allow an |
| ranging from business trips to weekend | | | | attacker’s computer to act as an Internet |
| getaways. With the modern tech-era upon us, | | | | gateway and intercept all network traffic. Very |
| one of the most requested hotel amenities is an | | | | few hotels using wireless Internet have encryption |
| active Internet connection. As guests settle in | | | | enabled on their network and researchers found |
| they use the hotel’s Internet connection to | | | | only about 15% of the studied properties thought |
| surf the web. What most people fail to notice is | | | | of going above and beyond their standard router |
| that Internet privacy and security offered by a | | | | and securing their network! Anyone using a |
| hotel is quite minimal. Guests expect the hotel to | | | | hotel's Internet connection should assume the |
| be a home away from home and Internet access | | | | worst and hope for the best. |
| allows them to be more productive or stay in | | | | Hotel guests should take the responsibility of |
| touch with people back home. While this is a | | | | securing the Internet connection upon |
| common amenity, most guests fail to realize how | | | | themselves. This will take away the mystery of |
| unsafe the network connection actually is. | | | | wondering whether the hotel has a secured |
| According to researchers many of the Internet | | | | connection. An anonymous proxy server is |
| connections hotels offer are quite unsafe. Most | | | | arguably the best way to maintain Internet |
| of the Internet connections offered are not | | | | privacy and online safety. Surfing via private |
| properly secured and leave guests open to many | | | | proxy servers will secure the Internet connection |
| privacy risks. Researchers gathered written | | | | by encrypting the data being transmitted over the |
| information from various hotels and personally | | | | network. The encrypted information remains |
| visited other properties and the findings were | | | | that way until it reaches its destination, which |
| astounding. Roughly 20% of all hotels use simple | | | | holds the code to decrypt the message. Aside |
| network hubs to connect guests to the Internet. | | | | from packet sniffing, it is possible for someone to |
| This means about a fifth of the hotels you have | | | | track web surfing habits and gain personal |
| ever stayed at are allowing you to connect to an | | | | information, even on a secured connection. A |
| unsecured network. This means all the packets | | | | proxy will prevent this by masking the IP address |
| of data being sent over the network can be seen | | | | allowing the user to safely surf from any |
| by other users, allowing them to access your | | | | connection and maintain complete anonymity. A |
| personal data. Ideally, hotels should have security | | | | hotel guest has the ability to stay connected with |
| features implemented so only the packets | | | | friends, family, and coworkers, even from |
| associated with your session should be seen. No | | | | thousands of miles away, but many fail to see |
| other users should have access to the data. | | | | that Internet security should be dealt with |
| This would stop an "interloper" from using a | | | | preemptively. It is not a matter of being |
| program that saves all packets being sent over | | | | protected by some other entity, but going above |
| the network. | | | | and beyond the bare minimum on your own |
| Of the hotels that do offer Internet access, 90% | | | | accord to stay safe. |