Are you also one of those who hop in the nearby cafe or restaurant to use the free Wi-Fi network? If you are, then, unfortunately, you have put your data in danger with every decision to connect.
Free public Wi-Fi is not as safe as the network you have at your home. You might have taken the time to enable all the necessary protections. However, free Wi-Fi typically lacks encryption, and since most of them do not require passwords, anyone can join. Even if there is a password in place, it is typically something simple, like the name of the restaurant.
So, what are the best ways to protect yourself? Of course, the best way would be to avoid free Wi-Fi altogether. Sadly, this rule might not be realistic enough as there can be situations when you have no other option. Thus, we will introduce you to the possible safeguards you can take. Then, you will be able to connect safely.
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Why is it Dangerous to Use Public Wi-Fi?
Most public Wi-Fi doesn’t use any encryption, which means that network managers or other connected users might snoop on your activities. Even the FBI has named Wi-Fi as a potential hotbed for hackers. While the focus of the discussion was hotel Wi-Fi, the same dangers apply to such networks in other locations.
Various risks of using public Wi-Fi are that hackers can intercept your complete information. An unprotected public Wi-Fi connection makes you vulnerable and provides hackers with an easy way in and out. The following factors make public Wi-Fi easily hackable:
- Not protected by a password
- Weak password
- Wi-Fi routers not configured properly
- Fake Wi-Fi networks (evil twins)
The number of public Wi-Fi hubs is increasing rapidly, and it is estimated that the number will grow to nearly 549 million public Wi-Fi hotspots by 2022. The growth in these numbers is also increasing the potential risks of cyberattacks.
Here are some possible risks of connecting to a free public Wi-Fi network.
What are the Dangers of Connecting to a Public Wi-Fi Hotspot?
We often get excited to know if a place has open Wi-Fi because who would not want to use free internet? But most people are not even aware of the repercussions of using free Wi-Fi.
If you are one of those, read the following risks carefully so that you think twice before connecting to any public Wi-Fi next time.
Stealing identities
Have you ever heard of cases where people complain about money withdrawal from their accounts or online purchases made by their names? Well, this happens due to identity theft, which is something that can severely affect victims’ lives. As people spend more time online than ever before, hackers have adapted too. Hackers are stealing our identities through different methods like DNS poisoning and spoofing via public Wi-Fi hotspots. Most don’t notice until months later when fraudulent charges start showing up on bank statements.
Data leak
The increase in cyberattacks is massive in the previous few years. With the rise in sales of internet-using devices, data breach cases are also increasing rapidly. Public Wi-Fi networks are the main target of hackers to steal your private data. If you connect to any of the free Wi-Fi without the knowledge of using it safely, then you are at the risk of losing all your data. The attackers can steal your photos, videos, documents, contacts, and all your other private data.
Malware
You may be just reading anything on your smartphone’s browser or looking for any information, and suddenly a pop-up ad appears on that web page. You might think it is just an ad; what harm can it do? Well, you might don’t know that if you click on that ad accidentally, your device will give a warm welcome to dangerous malware. Hijackers use tampered software to wreak havoc on your device.
These risks might be dangerous, but you can protect yourself from these cybercriminals easily. You need to follow the below-listed practices to stay safe and alert while using any public Wi-Fi.
How to Protect Yourself When Using Public Wi-Fi?
VPN
You can stay safe on any public Wi-Fi by using a browsing VPN. A Virtual Private Network will help in hiding your IP address and encrypting all data you send or receive online. Therefore, no cybercriminal can easily snoop on the activities you perform, even if you do enter HTTP websites.
Avoid sending sensitive information
Ensure that you don’t expose any of your sensitive data like financial or organizational information while using a public Wi-Fi connection. Avoid shopping or using banking applications as many of them have weak security and can be hacked easily.
Firewall
Activate the firewall on your laptops to save your data from the attackers. The firewall checks and analyzes each data packet and denies any unauthorized access. So, if you like to work from any cafe or hotel, don’t forget to turn on your device’s firewall before connecting to their Wi-Fi.
Conclusion
If you cannot avoid using public Wi-Fi for your work, the factors mentioned above will be convenient for you. Don’t forget to turn on the protection before connecting to free Wi-Fi, and the best way is to use a reliable VPN.
