A few weeks ago while staying at a hotel in California, I decided to use my laptop to see if the hotel had a wireless network I could use to access my email (I get jittery if we’re apart for more than an hour). A quick scan told me that not only did the hotel have an open wi-fi network but there were also three other networks close by, two of which were unsecured.

It reminded me of the very real dangers of using a public wi-fi network, at a coffee shop or an airport, to access the internet. I know it’s convenient and tempting (not to mention free) but the problem is that if it’s easy for you to access a wi-fi network, it may be just as easy for hackers to use the same wi-fi network to get access to your computer.

In a recent demo in Great Britain, two security experts were able to use a wi-fi network to hack into an unprotected computer and steal a password file – and it only took them 6 minutes.

I know it’s so convenient to use free wi-fi to get internet access when you’re away from home or the office, but do so with caution. Pick your wi-fi location carefully, don’t have any sensitive personal information unprotected in your laptop, and resist the temptation to log on to your bank or credit card account using wi-fi.

And another thing to worry about is your job. There are so many laws in place now because of all the highly publicized data breaches, if your laptop contains sensitive business information and is hacked or stolen, your employer could face millions of dollars in fines and other costs. And I doubt your employer will be very understanding about your excuses.