With the rise in cyber attacks, staying safe online has become a challenge for individuals and organizations. Public wifi is one of the most accessible attack vectors for threat actors. It doesn’t require much technical knowledge, allowing anyone with ill intent to gain sensitive information on whoever is using the network.
This article will outline the main dangers of using public wifi and give you four tips to remain safe.
The Risks of Using Public Wifi
The main danger of using public wifi is that it allows hackers to position themselves between the network and its users. That’s because public wifi requires no authentication, enabling easy access to anyone trying to connect. Convenient since there will be hundreds of people connecting, but also very dangerous because hackers may be able to see all traffic coming from a user’s device.
The hackers won’t only have information on the website you’re visiting. They will also have access to your emails and passwords. Working on public wifi is very dangerous as it exposes your company’s security credentials. If a threat actor gets ahold of them, there is no shortage of damage they can cause.
If your device allows network sharing, a hacker can also spread malicious software (malware) across all of your company’s devices.
Tips For Staying Safe While Using Public Wifi
Fortunately, there are some things you can do to continue using public wifi without putting yourself at risk:
Use a VPN
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. It’s a service that adds an additional layer of security by encrypting your data and tunneling it through a third server hosted by the service. Using a VPN will make it like you’re not using a public network. It will hide your IP, protecting your online identity and making it nearly impossible for a hacker to steal your data.
VPNs are growing in popularity, and many businesses are adding them to their set of security tools. If you’re using public wifi for working or doing anything involving sensitive information, a VPN is the most effective way to stay protected.
Change passwords regularly
You should change your passwords every once in a while anyway, but especially if you use public wifi a lot. Passwords and other credentials become vulnerable on public networks. If you have to use public wifi, make a note to change the passwords on the accounts you’ve used as soon as you get back home.
It’s important to change passwords once you’re on a private network. Doing so while still connected to public wifi won’t do much but delay a hacker’s progress.
Avoid accessing sensitive accounts
Sensitive accounts are those that use payment processing or contain other sensitive information like your SSN, payroll details, classified internal documents, etc. It’s best to avoid accessing these accounts on public wifi, as it will be very easy for a hacker to breach them and obtain sensitive information about you or your organization.
That’s why working from public networks is an absolute no-no for security-aware companies. Don’t access your work-related accounts unless you’re using a home network or a VPN. Otherwise, you’re putting your organization’s data and your job at risk.
Enable your firewall
Windows and macOS have internal firewalls designed to protect your network’s integrity. They will detect suspicious data packets coming from the network and block them. Firewalls are crucial for stopping malware from entering your device.
A firewall won’t provide complete protection like a VPN, but it’s a great safety measure that should always be enabled.
Windows users sometimes turn off their firewalls to prevent their annoying pop-ups, only to forget to turn them back on afterward.
You can learn how to enable the firewall on Windows here.
The instructions for macOS can be found here.
Final thoughts
Public wifi can be very convenient if you’re on the move. While there’s nothing wrong with using public networks for quick messaging or check-ins, you should avoid using them for more
sensitive tasks. Never log in to sensitive accounts like banking or work-related accounts on public wifi. Your credentials can easily be exposed, causing great harm to you or your organization. Follow the tips in this article to maximize your security when using public wifi.