Public WiFi is an especially convenient choice for staying online all the time and is a great alternative to using up your mobile data. We can all agree that it’s great, but are you sure that this free WiFi hotspot you’re connected to right now is safe?
The main weakness of many free WiFi hotspots provided in coffee shops, airports, hotels, and other public places often lies in poor router configurations and even more frequently – in the absence of strong passwords. The lack of basic protection is precisely what makes WiFi users an easy prey for cybercriminals and other malicious actors that are always on the lookout for gaps in security they can exploit.
What are the risks?
Public WiFi Hotspots can be a hacker’s paradise. The problem with public WiFi is that there are a tremendous number of risks that go along with these networks. While business owners may believe they’re providing a valuable service to their customers, chances are the security on these networks is lax or nonexistent.
Man-in-the-Middle attacks
One of the most common threats on these networks is called a Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack. In a Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attack, the cybercriminal stands between your device and a website or service you are trying to access. This allows them to monitor your Internet traffic without you having a clue this is happening. From there, they can watch you typing your passwords, read confidential business emails, and even lure you into fake login pages to steal your banking credentials.
Unencrypted networks
Encryption means that the information that is sent between your computer and the wireless router are in the form of a “secret code,” so that it cannot be read by anyone who doesn’t have the key to decipher the code. Most routers are shipped from the factory with encryption turned off by default, and it must be turned on when the network is set up. If an IT professional sets up the network, then chances are good that encryption has been enabled. However, there is no surefire way to tell if this has happened.
Malware Injection / Distribution
Malware is especially nasty – once it infects your device, it can damage or shut down the system, steal your bandwidth, or give cybercriminals complete freedom to access your personal files. As certain types of malware are created to work imperceptibly, it can be extremely difficult to detect and get rid of them. On an unsecured network, malicious code can slip into your device at any time – when buying flight tickets, or having some work done while sipping your morning espresso.
Snooping and Sniffing
WiFi snooping and sniffing is what it sounds like. WiFi sniffing allows hackers to see all the data that is passing through the network. With the help of pretty basic software, which is easy enough to use and legal to get, they can spy on your browsing activities, see the login information that you type, and break into your online accounts to steal more sensitive data or money.
Malicious hotspots
These “rogue access points” trick victims into connecting to what they think is a legitimate network because the name sounds reputable. Say you’re staying at the Goodnyght Inn and want to connect to the hotel’s WiFi. You may think you’re selecting the correct one when you click on “GoodNyte Inn,” but you haven’t. Instead, you’ve just connected to a rogue hotspot set up by cybercriminals who can now view your sensitive information.
How to stay safe on public WiFi
The best way to know your information is safe while using public WiFi is to use a virtual private network (VPN), like Norton WiFi Privacy, when surfing on your PC, Mac, smartphone or tablet. However, if you must use public WiFi, follow these tips to protect your information.
Don’t:
- Allow your WiFi to auto-connect to networks
- Log into any account via an app that contains sensitive information. Go to the website instead and verify it uses HTTPS before logging in
- Leave your WiFi or Bluetooth on if you are not using them
- Access websites that hold your sensitive information, such as such as financial or healthcare accounts
- Log onto a network that isn’t password protected
Do:
- Disable file sharing
- Only visit sites using HTTPS
- Log out of accounts when done using them
- Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to make sure your public WiFi connections are made private
- Make sure the WiFi network uses the latest encryption technique, known as WPA (WiFi Protected Access)-2 protocol.
- Use a cellular connection instead of the free WiFi service
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