• Public Wi-Fi Isn’t Secure: Using unsecured public Wi-Fi networks can leave you and your device open to hackers seeing important emails, sensitive personal data, and unsecured logins. When using a public Wi-Fi network, such as in a coffee shop or an airport, never access private information like your bank or your email.

 

• Man in the Middle/Evil Twin Wi-Fi Attacks: Evil Twin Wi-Fi network attacks simulate known networks, like multiple networks named “StarbucksFreeWiFi” in the same location. In this scenario, one might be fake and could be used to hijack user traffic in a Man in The Middle attack.

 

• Avoid Auto-Connect: Having a device automatically connect to known and remembered networks is a fast ticket to malware. Disable auto-connect and carefully choose the network you want.

 

• Password Preferred: Public, unprotected networks are more likely to be run by hackers looking for an easy target. When working remotely, always use the password-protected networks controlled and monitored by the business owner. Using unsecured public Wi-Fi networks can leave you and your device open to hackers seeing important emails, sensitive personal data, and unsecured logins.

 

How To Stay Safe on Public Wi-Fi?

 

1. Pick the Correct Network - You should always check that you pick the legitimate Wi-Fi network.  When connecting to a network run by a person or a business, always confirm exactly which network is theirs and whether it’s supposed to be password protected.

 

2. Check for HTTPS and SSL - To see whether a website is safe to visit, check for the lock in your browser to make sure it’s secured by HTTPS or SSL. Also look at the address bar to make sure you're on the site you want to visit.

 

3. Update Your Software - Keep your browser and internet-connected devices up to date with the latest versions, but make sure to do this on a trusted home or work network – not on public Wi-Fi.

 

4. Turn Wi-Fi Off When Not in Use - Once you are all done with your web browsing, make sure to log off any services you were signed into. Then, tell your device to forget the network.

 

5. Use VPN Client - A VPN connection encrypts traffic between your device and the VPN server, which means it’s much more difficult for a bad actor to sniff your data.

 

6. Use Mobile Data Plan – Your mobile data (LTE & 5G) is usually encrypted and safer than public Wi-fi, you can use your phone's data to connect another tablet or computer to the internet. Sharing a connection this way is called tethering or using a hotspot.

 

Stay Safe Online & Happy Surfing!

OIT InfoSec