Have you ever used your Facebook or Twitter accounts on a public wifi? The next time you do, you’d better be prepared. It’s now easier than ever to hack into online accounts on unsecured wifi networks. I found out by reading an article recommended by Linda Lawrey.

How is this possible?

There’s a new Firefox addon called FireSheep. This new addon makes it very easy to hack into many online services, such as Facebook and Twitter. However, it only works on unsecured networks, like most public wifi hotspots. It can also be defeated by using other methods that I’ll mention below.

Here’s a quick video showing how easy it is to capture accounts using Firesheep.

Wifi Safety Tips:

I don’t think you need to take the video’s advice and stop using public wifi. You just need to be more aware of the danger. If you always use HTTPS (Secure logins) when you sign onto a website, you’ll be able to defeat the majority of attacks like these. Look for a lock in your web browser’s address bar before you login.

Below are links to plugins for Firefox and Chrome that can help you stay secured while surfing.

Firefox browser

Force-TLS or HTTPS Everywhere

Google Chrome browser

KB SSL enforcer

Conclusion:

Be careful when using public or unsecured wifi hotspots. Always use HTTPS whenever possible. Another good method is to use VPN tunneling. There are some good tips from Ask-Leo for staying safe on public wifi.