Stupid wifi question #3

[Monkeyleg]

I know nothing about wifi internet connections other than the fact that the card I installed on my laptop works.

The only reason I need the laptop and the wifi card is for a trip I'll be taking in a week or so. I can't be without internet and email access.

One of the things I'll be doing is fulfilling orders from my website. In doing so, I'll be retrieving credit card numbers from my website. The section of my site that shows card information is protected by a personal security certificate that can only be viewed on my laptop. I'll also be submitting credit card information through another website with a secure connection.

My question is this: can someone else intercept this credit card information when I'm using a wifi connection?

[Vodka7]

Nope, you should be safe.  Short version of the story is any time you see that lock icon in FireFox or IE, everything you send and receive is encrypted.  Anyone sniffing your wifi traffic would see encrypted gobbledygook.  So just make sure the lock is there before you do anything like enter in your password or retrieve orders.

[Manedwolf]

Also beware of Evil Twin schemes.

People will set up an adhoc near a public hotspot with the same or similar SSID, hoping that an auto-connect will choose it instead. Never use the auto-connect, always manually choose connections, and don't let it change by itself for a stronger signal. The Evil Twin machine will capture everything passing through it.

[GigaBuist]

The Evil Twin machine will capture everything passing through it.

Even then he'd still be find if he's going over SSL.

[Firethorn]

The Evil Twin machine will capture everything passing through it.

Even then he'd still be find if he's going over SSL.

Agreed.  SSL is designed such that it's secure even if somebody in the middle is listening.

Rouge AP is the 'cheap' way of doing it.  Another is to simply have an antenna in the area and a device that records everything, no broadcasting necessary.

As a result, it's best to always assume somebody is listening in when you're using wireless.