But is this convenience superseding your online privacy? You’re definitely not the only one accessing the network and, chances are, someone isn’t there just for fun. The intruder might interpose himself between you and the hotspot, trying to intercept all unencrypted info you send or receive – your email account password, your banking login information or your instant messages with friends. And it’s really not that hard. Unfortunately, some networks still use flawed and deprecated security protocols such as WEP or WPA that can be easily cracked. In fact, hacking experiments have shown WEP encryption can be cracked in less than a minute using free tools readily available on the Internet. Did you know insecure Wi-Fi networks from hotels have been used to serve malware? Not long ago, hackers infected corporate executives’ computers with malicious spying software through a hotel’s network. When a high-profile guest tried to get online using the five-star hotel’s Wi-Fi network, he got a pop-up alerting him to a new Adobe software update. After he clicked to accept, a malicious executable was installed. So, who is on your Wi-Fi? Unfortunately, you may never find out if a skilled hacker is watching your every move. So, it’s best to take extra precautions; using an anti-malware solution with a strong Firewall still tops the list. Bitdefender’s new Wi-Fi Security Advisor feature makes sure you are completely safe using apps, doing your banking, shopping or browsing the web online if you’re on the go: in parks, cafes, hotels or airports. Whenever you access an unknown Wi-Fi network, Bitdefender’s security solution ranks the Wi-Fi network according to three levels of risk (minimum, medium and high) and adjusts itself, turning on critical protections such as anti-fraud, anti-phishing and Wi-Fi Hotspot protection when browsing with Bitdefender Safepay, the hacker-proof browser for online banking and e-shopping. Wi-Fi Security Advisor also analyzes the access point’s password strength and alerts users if it is using a weak, easily hackable password. To take advantage of this cool feature, check out the new Bitdefender 2017 line of products, here. This article has been bought to you in assocation with Bitdefender