Public Wi-Fi works as a lifesaver for all those who want to save on their data usage especially while on a long journey, or while long hours on the move and when it is an urgent need to access the Internet. But till now for many, the consequences of using these public Wi-Fi has been outweighing its convenience. Till now, all the free Wi-Fi hotspots have been equally susceptible to the hackers and the expert data thieves. But that shouldn’t be restricting our right to avail this benefit, as we all need it at one point of time or other. And the way to safe usage of public Wi-Fi is taking some preventative measures that can keep the hackers at bay, says an experienced technician who handles a busy service center of the internet Montreal.
The Threat
The reason why public Wi-Fi is considered so dangerous is that it’s public which indicates that anyone who is active on the same network and has entered with malicious intent can access as well as steal private information without much effort.
While using a public Wi-Fi network, anyone with a bit of network knowledge can scan the list of IP addresses that are connected to the network and can take their pick of information that is of worth to them. That can include all your private information, like your photos, videos, documents, bank account information and so on. If that has created an alarm in your, read the rest of the article to learn how to stay protected even when you use a public Wi-Fi connection.
Internet Hygiene
Maintaining proper internet hygiene is to control your internet activities while using a public wi-fi network. Avoid any online financial transactions, like checking your bank balance, online shopping, bill payment or anything similar that involves logging into your bank account when you are connected to the public wi-fi. The same thing applies to use your social media account, chatting with friends or sharing photos or video conferencing. If you use any of them, the hackers will get direct access to all your sensitive information including your photographs and friend list and can use them against you.
Use Https
While using the public wi-fi connection, always visit only those websites that have an HTTPS at the beginning of their URL. This will ensure that the website is encrypting your data. The capital “S” that sits along with the small lock symbol is automatically indicative of the fact that the website is a secure one. However, even these sites can at times become vulnerable to cyber-attacks, so it is always better to keep an extra layer of security to protect your data in these following ways.
Use the Latest Anti-Malware
You must be already using an Anti-malware to protect your device. But before you access any public wi-fi hotspot, always make sure, you are using the last updated version available, as the Anti-malware too needs to keep pace with the clever tricks of the hackers and need to upgrade in order to defeat their purpose.
The Threat
The reason why public Wi-Fi is considered so dangerous is that it’s public which indicates that anyone who is active on the same network and has entered with malicious intent can access as well as steal private information without much effort.
While using a public Wi-Fi network, anyone with a bit of network knowledge can scan the list of IP addresses that are connected to the network and can take their pick of information that is of worth to them. That can include all your private information, like your photos, videos, documents, bank account information and so on. If that has created an alarm in your, read the rest of the article to learn how to stay protected even when you use a public Wi-Fi connection.
Internet Hygiene
Maintaining proper internet hygiene is to control your internet activities while using a public wi-fi network. Avoid any online financial transactions, like checking your bank balance, online shopping, bill payment or anything similar that involves logging into your bank account when you are connected to the public wi-fi. The same thing applies to use your social media account, chatting with friends or sharing photos or video conferencing. If you use any of them, the hackers will get direct access to all your sensitive information including your photographs and friend list and can use them against you.
Use Https
While using the public wi-fi connection, always visit only those websites that have an HTTPS at the beginning of their URL. This will ensure that the website is encrypting your data. The capital “S” that sits along with the small lock symbol is automatically indicative of the fact that the website is a secure one. However, even these sites can at times become vulnerable to cyber-attacks, so it is always better to keep an extra layer of security to protect your data in these following ways.
Use the Latest Anti-Malware
You must be already using an Anti-malware to protect your device. But before you access any public wi-fi hotspot, always make sure, you are using the last updated version available, as the Anti-malware too needs to keep pace with the clever tricks of the hackers and need to upgrade in order to defeat their purpose.
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