Look out, laptop users. Your computer could be a target for hackers at cruising altitude, according to a new survey by Harris Interactive on behalf of Symantec.
The results suggest 83 percent of laptop users have their PCs configured for wireless access. (The actual number could be higher because three percent said they weren’t sure about their setup.) Of the total number of respondents, 12 percent said they used their laptops on planes.
Among the travelers who used their PCs on a plane, half said they disabled their wireless features while onboard. But most simply relied on their computer’s security features and a small but significant number — about 1 in 10 — did nothing at all.
My Symantec contact points out any Wi-Fi enabled device that is not properly turned off and protected is at risk. And that includes laptops, smart phones, PDAs and other Wi-Fi enabled mobile devices.
If you have any doubts about the credibility of this threat, just check out this recent presentation on the site of a group called the Nomad Mobile Research Centre. “Hacking the Friendly Skies” is a step-by-step guide to breaking into a business traveler’s computer.
“Get a seat near front part of coach,” it advises. “Road warriors request these seats in advance to get off the plane quicker.”
Not good.
But I think the survey is far more troubling than these up-front numbers suggest. I asked to see the actual survey questions and the answers, and it turns out that 35 percent of respondents used their portable PCs in an airport, 34 percent used them in school, and 18 percent fired up their laptops in a library.
There was no follow-up question about wireless settings in those locations, but my guess would be that they are similar to those of airline passengers.
I normally criticize executive summary results for overstating a problem.
This time, it’s possible that Symantec has understated the problem.
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