New VPN service stops hackers from snooping your Wi-Fi connection
According to VPNHQ, a sister company of Midphase and part of the UK2 parent group, 56% of public Wi-Fi users do not check if Wi-Fi is encrypted before joining. This exposes a large amount of Internet users to phishing and other malware concerns that are set to escalate in 2012.
Unsecured networks allow hackers to read emails you are sending and even scan items such as your bank statements.
The New York Times recently reported that free programs such as FireSheep allow unscrupulous persons to see what other users on an unsecured Wi-FI network are doing and log on as them to the sites they visited.
“What he means is that while the password you initially enter on Web sites like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Amazon, eBay and The New York Times is encrypted, the Web browser’s cookie, a bit of code that that identifies your computer, your settings on the site or other private information, is often not encrypted. Firesheep grabs that cookie, allowing nosy or malicious users to, in essence, be you on the site and have full access to your account,” said the New York Times.
The NYT said that at least 1 million have downloaded this program in the last three months and reports that ‘it’s easy to use’. Scary, right?
This new battlefield for security, is one reason Midphase has partnered with VPNHQ to provide a force field with which to protect your identity, data and passwords. It’s called Virtual Private Network or VPN, which can take less than five minutes to set up.
“A VPN will give you an extra layer of security and peace of mind by making all the information you send and receive, impossible for anyone else to see, through the use of encryption,” said VPNHQ on their website.
A key weapon in your defense is something called a firewall, which come loaded as standard with any VPNHQ account. This is more secure than a software firewall, and helps block any hacker trying to access your computing device. VPNHQ employs the IPSec industry standard for encryption allowing full compatibility with any number of devices, and is delivered without slowing down your browsing service.
Another great feature is the ability to choose where your account is located. Your location, no matter where in the world, is masked by location of the VPNHQ server allowing you to enjoy websites that may be blocked if you were to visit another country. And, all this technology works on any phone whether it’s Android or Apple!
For more information about this service, watch this VPN video: