KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Do you ever use wireless internet?

According to experts, your identity may be at risk if you do because hackers can steal your information very easily from an unsecured network.

Volunteer TV News ran into Duffy Pope on Wednesday evening while he was using WI-FI at a Knoxville eatery. He said he had no clue that a hacker could be sitting next to him and stealing his personal information.

"I've opened some emails with my bank statement on there,” he said, “so that's good to know. I didn't know that."

When it comes to using an unsecured network, computer security experts insist you are basically wearing your personal information on your sleeve.

"They can just pull that packet right out of the air and can see you were going to this bank,” said Richard Rackley with Fountainhead College of Technology. “They can say, ‘here's your log in and here's your password, how convenient.’"

And apparently it’s not very hard to learn how to steal someone’s information.

"You can go to YouTube and watch a video on how to use tools and download tools in 10 minutes,” Rackley said. “You don't have to know anything."

“It makes me think a lot more,” Pope said. “I had no idea about that.”

So how do you keep your computer safe?

Information Technology experts say if you go to a place offering free WI-FI make sure they offer a secure code to everyone who wants to access the internet. If they don't have a code, it's not a secure network.

"They have a code sitting up there and everyone can see the code and that's fine,” said Rackley. “Once you put that code in, it's secure."

So if you're on a non-secure network like Duffy Pope was on Wednesday evening, only surf the web. If you want to access your bank account or shop online, make sure the network is secure.
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