How safe is it to access my WD Cloud from a hotel ?
Is there any areas of security I should be addressing ?
thank you
Short Answer: It is not safe at all.
Long Answer:
This is the primary use case for VPN (virtual private networking). Essentially, with a VPN you connect to a server, and all communication between your device and the server is encrypted. This prevents people from “eavesdropping” on your communications.
You should not connect to any MyCloud, financial institution, or even shopping site without understanding the security of the connection.
In a hotel, coffee shop, or airport, the connections are fundamentally UNSECURE. Never connect to something “important” without a VPN.
At home, where YOU control your home network, you generally don’t have to worry about the connection to the network being compromised. (unless. . . .you have lots of close neighbors, like in an apartment building).
In my case, I have a VPN available on my home system. When traveling, I use OpenVPN to connect to my home system, and then all my traffic from my device to my home system is encrypted. Websites that track location will believe I am connected from my Home… . .since technically I am connected from my home.
Now. . .(putting on my tin-foil hat). . . you may want to think about your ISP. Do you trust them to NOT snoop on your internet traffic? If yes. . .fine. If not. . adjust your tin-foil hat and look into commercial VPN services. Using a commercial VPN service, you would establish a link from your HOME to the VPN server; with encrypted communications. That makes it hard for your ISP to snoop.
Further. . . putting on a second tin-foil hat to make sure I have proper coverage. . . .
. . . connecting to your home network via VPN implies that your mycloud is hooked up to the internet. This implies that you have “open ports” on your router. Send your router the right commands. . . and your MyCloud will surrender ALL it’s data. (Usually. . .that would be YOURSELF getting access to YOUR OWN DATA). What you are relying on is the security of the MyCloud to only give YOU the data. . .and not any random Tom, ■■■■, and Harry.
So. . .the question becomes “how secure is your MyCloud” in regards to outside access. Hint: how often are firmware updates? Bottom line. . . these are definitely not the most secure machines in the world.
Taking off the Tin-Foil. . . . .The MyCloud’s are probably “good enough”; however, I would definitely use VPN connections when on public wifi.
Thank you Nas user,
The information needs me to read a few times, the access from hotel very clear and understood.
I probably have a few more questions if ok ?
Thank you
Fire away. Bear in mind that the quality of advice may be affected by how much you are paying 
The key thing about VPN’s is “are you going to roll your own” or “Are you going to buy a service”.
“Roll your own” means you have VPN software on your own system, and that will secure a connection from a remote device to your home system. That lets you connect securely to your home. Going from your home to the internet. . .is therefore unprotected.
For “roll your own”, I use a program call “OpenVPN”. It actually runs on my Router.
A commercial VPN service will establish a connection from your home system to the internet. . .this protects the connection through the ISP. As a side benefit, you probably can connect from your mobile device directly to the commercial VPN without getting your home system involved.
Nas,
thank you for the advise, I do some more research.
