With four long weekends before the end of the year, travel plans are on the horizon for many of us.

As much as sunscreen and shampoo are travel necessities, so are laptops, netbooks and smartphones. And to get online, people are increasingly taking advantage of wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks.

Wi-Fi networks are available in airports, hotels and even in the air.

While offering convenience and flexibility, Wi-Fi networks are unfortunately also easy entry points for hackers looking to steal your money, account information and identity.

Your holiday could be ruined in an instant by cyber-criminals looking to rob you of your personal information. Imagine stepping off the plane, ready to start your holiday, only to realise your bank account has been wiped out and your credit card information stolen.

Norton from Symantec has five easy tips to ensure your holiday doesn't end in disaster.

1. Pay attention to your surroundings

Remember, if you can read his magazine, the man sitting next to you on the plane can also read what's on your laptop screen.

2. Beware of "Evil Twins"

Some Wi-Fi networks can appear to be legitimate, but are not. Criminals can create "dummy" networks or Web sites that contain the name of the airline, hotel or airport, but will actually direct your information to their own computer. If you always use the access keys provided by the airline, hotel, or airport, you'll be protected.

3. Always assume your Wi-Fi connections are being eavesdropped on

Never enter sensitive data (bank account information, NRIC numbers, etc.) when browsing the Web via a Wi-Fi network.

4. Set any Bluetooth devices to "hidden", not "visible"

If you do not use the Bluetooth function, turn it off altogether.

5. Keep your security software current and active

Mobile PCs are vulnerable to the same viruses, Trojans, and worms as your home computer. There is a wide range of Internet security software on the market to tackle this, from reputable brands like Norton, BitDefender and McAfee.