Public WiFi can save you on days where you really need to check something out online but aren’t anywhere near home. But this public option doesn’t come without some risks. Hacking attempts aren’t an uncommon occurrence on public WiFi. If you take certain steps you can keep yourself better protected when you’re out and about and itching for a WiFi connection. Tech experts agree that there are a few things you should always do before joining public WiFi, starting with this one crucial step.
Turn On a VPN
Public Wi-Fi is often an open network that anybody can connect to with no password, says Joe Cockroft , the Senior Student Supervisor at North East Business Resilience Centre, a police-led, not-for-profit organization that provides 24/7 cyber security support to SMEs. “For this reason, it is difficult to know who you are sharing the network with,” Cockroft says. “Furthermore, it allows malicious users to establish a copycat Wi-Fi network that looks and feels the same, but is actually stealing and manipulating your data. Once connected to a public Wi-Fi network, legitimate or not, your data is no longer secure and can be viewed by anybody on that network. This is why you should use a VPN.”
What is a VPN?
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, and to put it simply, Cockroft explains, it works by sending all of your data through an encrypted tunnel that is very difficult for malicious users to decode.
“Without a VPN, your Internet traffic will be viewable in plain text by anyone nearby that wants to see it,” he adds. “But when you are connected to a VPN, your traffic will be a mess of random characters that don’t mean anything to anyone, other than the VPN server you are connected to. A VPN server can be located anywhere in the world (and most will allow you to choose which one you want to connect to) and is what your data is tunneled through. This also acts to protect some of your privacy online, as your traffic will look to originate from this server, as opposed to the public Wi-Fi network (or even home network) that you are connected to.”
Turning on a VPN is a very important step before joining public WiFi, but to keep yourself even better protected, Karl Robinson, CEO and founder of Logicata, recommends taking two more precautions.
Disable Automatic Downloads
Hacking is complex, and the risk of getting hacked on a public Wi-Fi network is relatively low, Robinson assures us. With that said: hackers often use prompts for software updates or downloads to exploit users. “Disabling automatic downloads reduces the risk of clicking on malicious links or downloading malware,” Robinson says.
Use Auto Log-In Features
“To protect against hackers, use auto-login features offered by frequently used websites or apps,” Robinson continues. “This securely stores your login information and reduces the risk of exposing passwords on public Wi-Fi. It also saves time and lowers the chance of falling for phishing attacks or keyloggers.”
And there you have it: three key ways to stay better protected while enjoying the benefits of public WiFi.
