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Got it - unlikely if you're paying attention to the &quot;https&quot; but possible. &nbsp;Of course, almost no public place has WPA set up, so that is a little risky.
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Got it - unlikely if you're paying attention to the "https" but possible.  Of course, almost no public place has WPA set up, so that is a little risky.

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I just read an aritcle by CNBC (<a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/41005646?slide=6" rel="ugc">http://www.cnbc.com/id/41005646?slide=6</a>) that said &quot;<i>If you're going to be making online transactions over an unsecured wireless connection like in cafes, parks and other hot spots, data can be compromised or seen while in transit, even if you're on a secure page...</i>&quot; &nbsp;How is this possible? &nbsp;I thought when browsing an HTTPS page (SSL), that it encrypted the connection from your browser all the way through to the webserver?
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I just read an aritcle by CNBC (http://www.cnbc.com/id/41005646?slide=6) that said "If you're going to be making online transactions over an unsecured wireless connection like in cafes, parks and other hot spots, data can be compromised or seen while in transit, even if you're on a secure page..."  How is this possible?  I thought when browsing an HTTPS page (SSL), that it encrypted the connection from your browser all the way through to the webserver?

SSL Secure over Open WiFi?

Encryption is the process of encoding messages or information in such a way that only authorized parties can read it. In an encryption scheme, the intended communication information or message, referred to as plaintext, is encrypted using an encryption algorithm, generating ciphertext that can only be read if decrypted. For technical reasons, an encryption scheme usually uses a pseudo-random encryption key generated by an algorithm. An authorized recipient can easily decrypt the message with the key provided by the originator to recipients, but not to unauthorized interceptors.