Mikhail Sosonkin is a so-called "white-hat," or ethical hacker – or one who breaks into networks to test their security. The Russian-born Sosonskin, who works for cybersecurity startup Synack, showed me firsthand how easy it is to break into a computer.
It took just minutes for him to hack into my personal computer. My downfall was logging into what I thought was a hotel Wi-Fi network. Take a look as Sosonkin accesses my webcam – even clicking a picture -- and pops up the calculator on my computer…without ever touching the computer.
How can you protect yourself from hackers? Besides being more careful when you sign onto other Wi-Fi networks, Sosonkin also advises people to be on the lookout when you are asked to download something new. If you are prompted to do so, Sosonkin suggests you wait until you're back on your trusted, homeWi-Fi network to download anything. He also recommends keeping your software up to date.
"If you are up-to-date, you are less likely to get attacked," Sosonkin said.