What’s the Price We Pay for Free Public Wi-Fi?

Let’s face it – almost everyone owns a mobile device, whether it’s a smart phone, tablet or laptop. You search and scroll through your devices, many times using public Wi-Fi to access the Internet. But as tempting as free public Wi-Fi sounds, using it is a huge risk that could lead to someone hacking your personal information.

Many places, like Starbucks, McDonald’s and even public transportation, offer free Wi-Fi hotspots to their customers, but the networks usually lack any sort of encrypted security. Hackers often use illegal programs to connect to these hotspots, accessing data seen through the traffic going back and forth between users’ sites. Some scammers even go to great lengths to create networks with fake names and sit at local coffee shops where customers can login to untrusted Wi-Fi locations. In these areas, hackers go “sniffing” around for confidential information, like email accounts, passwords, Social Security numbers, and credit cardholder data.

At a minimum, you should avoid using public networks to access your bank accounts or other sensitive information. If you must use a public Wi-Fi hotspot to browse the Internet, one thing you definitely want to consider is a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

Invest in a VPN

A VPN program allows you to create a secure connection over the public Internet to a remote private network by building an encrypted virtual tunnel to a trusted server (such as your company’s network). While it is not foolproof, it may help secure your information when using a Wi-Fi hotspot. For example, a VPN allows you to use an IP address other than your own so that your computer appears to be somewhere else – thus making it more difficult for malware that can self-install via open ports to target your computer.

If you plan to invest in a VPN, it is probably best to consider getting one that can be used on your mobile devices as well. Thanks to PCMag, a report listing the best VPN services for 2016 is available to compare options.

Although a VPN is one of the best options for security, your phone can also be a great tool and can act as a Wi-Fi hotspot. Nowadays, some service plans allow you to “tether” (or connect) your phone’s LTE connection to any laptop, tablet or other phone. This way, there is no need to connect to a public network, therefore avoiding fewer “sniffing” hackers that may also be plugged into the network.

Tips to protect yourself

To reduce your risk of falling victim to hackers, it’s important to take precautions, such as the following:

1. Change your password regularly: You should choose a password or passphrase that is at least eight characters long, with a mix of letters, numbers and special characters. You may want to consider securing your account information by setting up a password manager (like LastPass or Dashlane), changing passwords periodically, and enabling two-factor authentication on accounts that support it.
2. Turn off sharing: When you’re at home, you can share files, printers, or allow remote login from other computers on your network. However, when you’re on a public network, you’ll want to turn those settings off, as anyone can access them and some may not even be password protected.
3. Use HTTPS and SSL whenever possible: A simple way to identify an SSL-encrypted site is to look for a lock symbol and an “HTTPS” in the browser search bar. Sites that rely only on HTTP are vulnerable to attacks, which can occur when hackers trick visitors into visiting dangerous web pages that pose as the real sites, allowing them to intercept victims’ traffic. Keep an eye on the address bar and make sure the “S” in “HTTPS” is always there when you’re exchanging information. Although that is still not a guarantee that the site isn’t using a fake or unvetted SSL certificate, your risk is generally lower on an SSL-encrypted site. A good option to avoid fake sites would be to install HTTPS Everywhere, a plugin designed to connect you to websites with HTTPS first.
4. Turn off Wi-Fi when you aren’t using it: If you’re not actively using the Internet, simply turn off your Wi-Fi. The longer you are connected, the longer there is time for hackers to notice you’re online and start “sniffing” around.

Learning about Wi-Fi security can help you to defend yourself against network hacks and protect your personal information. To learn more about how you can secure your wireless network, contact me or another information technology professional at Kaufman Rossin.