Originally Posted by
dizzy
Not sure if you are just joking around, but you should NEVER connect to an ad-hoc network if you don't trust the computer it is hosted on. Most likely, they are just misconfigured laptops, but there is a chance that one of them is for a more malicious purpose.
I've wondered about this. I have ZoneAlarm and a VPN client on my laptop, along with antivirus software and Windows Defender, with everything up to date. Aren't I safe connecting to an ad-hoc network or any shifty looking wireless network?
There might be reasons to try. What if, for example, someone is using a hotspot and just wants to share it? Or what if someone is trying to ensnare me into using their 'hotspot' but they try to make it look legitimate by actually providing Internet access?