How do I keep my laptop secure when using wifi hotspots?

I would advise you to ensure you have a proper security suite installed that includes antivirus, firewall, antispyware, etc and is from a RELIABLE vendor (like McAfee or Norton) and ensure it is properly configured and kept completely up to date.

I would also avise you to make sure Windows Updates are automatically downloading and installing.

If you are going to be using a lot of wifi spots and have a laptop... then you may want to consider getting an encryption program for your computer.

I would recommend PGP ( http://www.pgp.com/ )

You can use PGP to encrypt your files, your emails, an entire partition or the entire hard disk which is great for people worried their laptops may be stolen.

I would make sure that you have a good Windows Login password and set the screensaver up to kick in after 5-10 minutes and to require the password. I would also suggest a BIOS password as it is a laptop. This way if it is stolen they cannot boot into the OS without the BIOS password... and with the encrypted hard drive they could do nothing with it.

Aside from that you might want to make sure that remote access is disabled... Right click My Computer > Properties > Remote tab > ...

that's about it really ... you could get into turning off services you don't need depending on how savvy you are but you should be ok with a patched windows os.

Good Luck

Make sure you have a good and updated Firewall, and make sure that if your firewall picks up the Hotspot, that you choose "Keep in Internet Zone" that alone should keep your computer secure.