How do I protect myself in the world of hotspots?

• Disable your wireless card's ad-hoc (peer-to-peer) mode. You can do this via the adapter's utilities or within Windows XP by clicking on Network Connections in the Control Panel. This will help prevent anyone from connecting to your notebook.
• Remove or disable your wireless card if you're working offline.
• Install a personal firewall. Windows XP offers the rudimentary Internet Connections Firewall, but more advanced personal firewall products, such as Symantec's Norton Internet Security and Zone Labs' ZoneAlarm, can prevent others from accessing your notebook and even alert you when an attempt is made.
• Install personal antivirus software from McAfee, Symantec or another antivirus vendor, and enable automatic signature updates.
• Take advantage of your e-mail client's security features, particularly digital signatures and e-mail encryption. Digital signatures verify your identity to your recipients and ensure that messages are not tampered with during transmission. Microsoft Outlook lets you add digital signatures to messages and encrypt messages and attachments using S/MIME. If you're using a Web-based e-mail service, make sure it offers some type of encryption. Be aware, however, that in many cases with such services only the log-on information is encrypted, while text is sent in the clear. You may want to use third-party e-mail encryption utilities, such as PGP Corp.'s PGP Personal, which offers digital signatures and strong encryption for messages and attachments, as well as for files stored on your computer.
• Make sure you submit credit card information only to SSL-protected Web sites (look for https:// in the address bar).
• For the best protection, use a virtual private network (VPN) to provide strong authentication and encryption for all your hot-spot communications. This is particularly important if you're connecting to your company's network, in which case you'll probably get VPN client software from your IT manager. Small-business users can install VPN-enabled firewall and router appliances from Netgear, SonicWall, 3Com, or Watchguard at the office or use one of the many small-business VPN services available, for example, from Sprint or Verio. Individual users can take advantage of inexpensive consumer VPN services such as HotSpotVPN or they can limit themselves to protected hot spots, such as those from EarthLink and others that make up the Boingo Wireless network.
• Keep your OS and software up to date with security patches.

And of course, make sure nobody is looking over your shoulder as you enter vital information. Enjoy the freedom and convenience that hot spots offer, but make sure that hot spots don't land you in hot water.