Public Wi-Fi is necessary for today’s Internet users. It allows you to operate and work remotely with ease and is completely free to use. It is accessible from anywhere.
Unfortunately, public Wi-Fi security isn’t very reliable. In reality, you face the risk of becoming a victim of cyberattacks if you use public Wi-Fi.
Sometimes, downloading softwares with cracks contains malware, which affects the operating systems. A secure VPN for torrenting is used to mask our location and protect our personal information from being attacked by hackers.
People who use public Wi-Fi without taking suitable security precautions are actually subject to a lot of cyber risks.
Unfortunately, it appears that most people choose to utilize public Wi-Fi even if they are aware of this. Approximately 81% of web users do that, according to a study.
Some Most Common Threats Encountered When Using Public Wi-Fi:
- Malware and Viruses
- Man-In-The-Middle (NITM) Attacks
- Lack of Encryption
- Fake Wi-Fi Networks
- Packet Sniffers
- Shoulder Surfing
- File Sharing
- Side jacking
Here is How to Protect Yourself From Public Wi-Fi:
- Connect to Encrypted Networks Only
Make sure you only connect to encrypted connections since using an unsecured public Wi-Fi network is similar to inviting a cyberattack. A network is typically considered encrypted if you need a password to connect to it.
You should also find out what kind of encryption the network’s administrators are utilizing. If that’s not possible, you may simply try pressing or clicking on the Wi-Fi network to view its configuration.
Avoid using the network if it uses WEP or WPA encryption because it is insecure. The only security protocol you should use right now is WPA2.
- Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
It is essential to have a VPN running on your device if you use a public Wi-Fi network. If you are unfamiliar with VPNs, these are online services that encrypt your web traffic and disguise your IP address.
You should be interested in the second component in this instance. Why? Because using a VPN can assure that hackers cannot eavesdrop on your online conversations, not even when using unprotected public Wi-Fi.
In essence, if online thieves attempt to see what you are doing by monitoring your traffic, they will only see nonsense.
- Install Anti-Virus/Anti-Malware Softwares on All Your Devices
There is always a possibility that your device could become infected with malware or a virus if you connect to a public Wi-Fi network. After all, exposing a public network to malware or a virus is not that difficult for a hacker to do, especially if the security is rather substandard.
In fact, Wi-Fi security may not even be a concern for a cybercriminal. To mislead the personnel at the location providing free Wi-Fi into contaminating the network with harmful links and attachments, they might simply send phishing messages to them.
- Turn Off File-Sharing
It is good to just turn off file-sharing on your device when you leave the house because you now know how dangerous it may be if it’s enabled on a public WiFi network. Make sure you do that on your laptop in addition to your mobile devices.
However, if you must enable file-sharing for any reason, be sure to protect your device with an antivirus/antimalware programme and a trustworthy VPN. Your traffic will be encrypted in this way, and at the very least, you’ll be secured against malware attacks.
- Keep Wi-Fi off after Disconnecting From a Network
It could be tempting to leave your Wi-Fi on while you’re out and about, but it’s best if you don’t. Because it’s possible for your device to unintentionally join a malicious cybercriminal’s false Wi-Fi network.
Basically, your device will memorize the SSID (Wi-Fi network name) of the Wi-Fi network you join, detach from, and then depart in order to automatically reconnect to it the next time you come across its Wi-Fi signal.
The issue is that even after you leave the area of that network, your device will keep sending out a signal that essentially queries other Wi-Fi networks to see if they share the same SSID as the network you just visited.
- Don’t share personal information or login into websites
It might not seem risky to sign up on a new platform while using public Wi-Fi, but it actually is. You will be disclosing quite a few sensitive pieces of information through an insecure Wi-Fi connection, including your full name, email address, phone number, home or workplace address, etc.
That is the type of information that hackers adore gathering, either to sell on the deep web or to employ in phishing attacks and other con games.
When we talk about dangerous behavior, we mean things like:
- Checking your PayPal or bank account.
- Accessing or logging into your social media or email account.
- Communicating with someone via messaging services.
- Making payments online.
- Get a Privacy Screen for your devices
You must also guard against offline dangers if you are serious about learning how to stay safe when using public Wi-Fi.
Using a privacy screen, a panel placed on your device’s screen to restrict how much can be seen from certain angles is one of the greatest techniques to prevent shoulder surfing
Conclusion:
There are more and more free public Wi-Fi networks available, but keep in mind that not all of them are safe and secure, and your device’s security firewall may not be powerful enough to stop any incoming cyberattacks.
That’s why you should follow guidelines to protect yourself on public Wi-Fis, or you can either use a VPN to protect your information online.
