Tag Archive: security

Conferences and WiFi Security

Just a few quick notes about security before anyone shows up at the PASS Summit.

First, set up lock codes on your phones, iPads, and laptops.  Those of us who are security-conscious tend to play pranks on those of us who aren’t.  (Ask Tom LaRock about the year he found a shirtless fireman on his desktop wallpaper and couldn’t get it back off – we play for keeps.)

Second, install the Firefox plugin HTTPS Everywhere.  This forces popular web sites like FaceBook, Live, and Twitter to use HTTPS instead of HTTP, thereby encrypting your web surfing instead of SSL.

Third, when you’ve done the above two, check out Firesheep.  It’s a Firefox extension that listens to unencrypted HTTP traffic on your WiFi network and lets you instantly log in as any sucker who isn’t using HTTPS.  This works great at hotels and conferences where lots of your friends (or enemies, whatever) are surfing during keynote addresses.

Consider yourself warned.

Brent Ozar

Brent specializes in performance tuning for SQL Server, VMware, and storage. He's one of the very few Microsoft Certified Masters of SQL Server, a published author, and a Microsoft MVP. He likes travel, Jeeps, Apple gear, jokes, and writing about himself in the third person. Read more and contact Brent.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

My Weekly Bookmarks for October 30th

Here’s my bookmarked links for October 26th through October 30th:

SQL Server Links

#SQLPASS Links

Tech Links

The Junk Drawer

These bookmarks are automatically imported from my bookmarks at Delicious.com. If you’d like to get up-to-the-minute updates on what I’m bookmarking, you can subscribe to my bookmark RSS feed.

Brent Ozar

Brent specializes in performance tuning for SQL Server, VMware, and storage. He's one of the very few Microsoft Certified Masters of SQL Server, a published author, and a Microsoft MVP. He likes travel, Jeeps, Apple gear, jokes, and writing about himself in the third person. Read more and contact Brent.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts