Hotel Wi-Fi: Is It Worth the Risk? 

When you travel, have you used your hotel's Wi-Fi - maybe to pay a few bills or catch up on a report you need to read? You may want to think twice before logging in to accounts over hotel Wi-Fi. Hackers are using security vulnerabilities in hotel Wi-Fi to steal people's passwords and other sensitive information. Here's how it works: as a hotel guest, you try to get online using their Wi-Fi network and get a pop-up for a software update, but the network has been compromised. When you click to accept the download, you unknowingly load software designed to damage your computer or steal your information.

During your next hotel stay, consider whether you absolutely must share your login info over the Wi-Fi network. Weigh for yourself whether it's worth the risk. If you decide to use a public network, take precautions:

• When using a public Wi-Fi network, log in or send personal information only to websites you know are fully encrypted. Look for https in the web address - the "s" stand for secure. To be safe, your entire visit to each site should be encrypted - from the time you log in to the site until you log out. If you think you're logged in to an encrypted site but find yourself on an unencrypted page, log out right away.
• Don't stay permanently signed in to accounts. When you've finished using an account, log out.
• Do not use the same password on different websites. It could give someone who gains access to one of your accounts access to many of your accounts.
• Many web browsers alert users who try to visit fraudulent websites or download malicious programs. Pay attention to these warnings, and keep your browser and security software up-to-date.
• Some Wi-Fi networks use encryption: WPA2 is the strongest.
• If you regularly need to access online accounts through public Wi-Fi networks, you may want to use a virtual private network (VPN). VPNs encrypt traffic between your computer and the internet, even on unsecured networks. You can get a personal VPN account from a VPN service provider. Some organizations create VPNs to provide secure, remote access for their employees. What's more, VPN options are available to encrypt information you send through mobile apps. If you work out of hotels frequently, you may want to obtain your own mobile hotspot, which encrypts traffic between your device and the Internet and uses the cellular network instead of public Wi-Fi.
• Installing browser add-ons or plug-ins can help. For example, Force-TLS and HTTPS-Everywhere are free Firefox add-ons that force the browser to use encryption if available on popular websites that don't normally encrypt.

Old Mission Bancorp, Inc. Declares 1st Quarter 2015 Dividend

A cash dividend of $0.23 per share was declared payable March 5 to shareholders of record February 20, 2015. This dividend represents over 19% of the Corporation's prior year net income, and is a 4.5% increase over first quarter 2014's dividend. "With this dividend, Old Mission Bancorp, Inc. has increased dividends for eight consecutive years, a significant accomplishment reflecting the success of Old Mission Bank during challenging economic times" stated David E. Firack, President & Chief Executive Officer of Old Mission Bancorp, Inc. "During the timeframe noted, while many banks experienced significant share value declines and cut or eliminated dividends, Old Mission has increased dividends annually and grew our stock's book value by 31%," concluded Firack.

A startup in 2000, Old Mission is rooted in the Eastern Upper Peninsula. Its shareholders, directors, officers and staff have been connected to the bank's service area for multiple generations. A local community bank's success is directly tied to the economic stability and growth of its market area. Evidence of this is borne out by our daily consultations with clients which produce deposit structures and loan solutions that benefit customers throughout the economic cycle. Our mission is helping clients succeed financially.

In announcing the dividend, Firack reported December 31, 2014 corporate assets of $108.7 million and net income of $666,200 or $1.18 per share. The company's return on average assets (ROAA) of 0.61% and return on average equity (ROAE) of 5.36% were down slightly from prior year, but compared favorably with Michigan peers. "Loan growth of over 5% during 2014 positions us well going into 2015 with earning assets at new highs and additional opportunities on the horizon," stated Firack.

Old Mission Bancorp, Inc. has 309 shareholders, most of whom are EUP residents, with 563,131 shares outstanding. Book value per share was $22.82 at December 31, 2014 with the most recent share sale at $16.50, for a price to book multiple of 0.72X and price/earnings ratio of 13.95. Camels Consulting, LLC, an independent bank consulting firm valued the corporation's stock at $18.95 as of June 30, up from $18.57 in December 2013. "With a strategic plan of independence, local ownership and local control, every decision made is with the future benefit of Old Mission's shareholders and customers in mind. Expansion of our shareholder base is a goal of our Board, and we invite anyone who is interested to contact our executive management team about ownership opportunities in our vibrant, growing organization," stated Tom Robinson, Chairman of Old Mission Bank and Old Mission Bancorp, Inc.