We have all seen the picture of the face on Mars, which some people believe is proof that there was once, intelligent life there:

You may want to think twice before logging into a public wireless hotspot. Getting a few minutes of connectivity is convenient, but identity thieves are discovering that, through "evil twin" attacks, hotspots are a great way to steal users' private information.

So how does an evil twin attack work? A hacker  sets up a computer to transmit a signal that turns his PC into an access point, or Wi-Fi hotspot. They even give it a legitimate-sounding name, like "T-Mobile Hotspot", to fool unsuspecting surfers.

Next, they put a laptop in a backpack and read a newspaper while sipping some java at the local coffee shop. All they have to do is wait for you to connect. They require you to enter a credit card number to get access, just like T-Mobile does. While you surf the Web, their computer redirects you to Web pages they have created that happen to look like the ones you visit on a daily basis.

This is so easy to do, the average high school student can set up an "evil twin" in about 45 minutes.  Here are some steps to protect yourself:

Check Your Wi-Fi Settings: Many laptops are set to constantly search and log on to the nearest hotspot. Turning off this option will prevent your computer from logging on to a hotspot without your knowledge.

Pay Attention to Dialog Boxes: Pop-up warnings are there for a reason--to protect you. If you are lucky enough to have not clicked the "never show this again" option, make sure you read these warnings carefully before agreeing to send information.

Use One of Your Credit Cards on the Web Only: Open a credit card account that is used solely for the purposes of shopping on the Web. Ideally, you should be able to access account records online so you don't have to wait for monthly statements to monitor any activity. 

Conduct Private Business in Private: You don't need to move money around or check your bank statements when you are connected to a public hotspot that you're not really familiar with. If you restrict your public surfing to Web pages you don't mind a stranger reading along with you, there is little an evil twin attacker can do to harm you.