For some people, sitting in a café and finding a free Wi-Fi service is just invaluable. No matter where we are; at home, office or any other place; we love to remain connected to the world. And in an era of such mobility, Wi-Fi is a priceless asset. Well, this is something we cannot resist anymore; it’s part of our digital DNA now.
Knowing our insatiable appetite for free Wi-Fi, the public Wi-Fi infrastructure is growing rapidly. Well, nothing in this world comes for free. If you are using a service for free, there must be some other way you’ll be made to pay. Earlier in one of my article I have told you Why using a Public WiFi Can Be Dangerous!
Whenever we try to connect to a free Wi-Fi, we rarely go through the terms and conditions and skim through the permissions, granting the unknown network free access to our personal information. Being less vigilant can be painful, as the risks associated while using a public Wi-Fi are plenty. So next time, do give it a second thought before connecting to a free Wi-Fi, and make sure to check whether it’s legitimate or not.
To help you out in this cause, here are seven tips to keep in mind before connecting to a free Wi-Fi hotspot via your smart device:
A Quick Snap of Authenticity
Whenever you enter a café or a restaurant and your desire to go online becomes tempting, perform a security check by asking the right username and password from the owner. Knowing the right credentials is important if you want to connect to a legitimate Wi-Fi. You can encounter various hotspots with a similar name that are nothing more than spoofs. Make sure that the Wi-Fi hotspot gas WPA or WPA2 authentication. This is a hint that the Wi-Fi is a secure and protected connection. Don’t fall prey to those that bear a close resemblance but offer no authentication.
Don’t Forget to Patch
This is just to remind you that you need to keep your browsers, software and antivirus updated. This is an essential security tip that every internet user must follow. Using the latest software patches is an exercise that keeps your device safe, secure hack Wifi Network. This code then transforms into a backdoor, through which hackers can easily enter and exploit a device or system.
You won’t even get the time to react before the hackers run away with all your precious information. Even with proper patching, such attacks will occur, but then your software will have better protection modules in place and will detect the virus. With the help of an updated antivirus, your machine will remain safe as it will remove all the threats as soon as they are detected, keeping your device clean. So from now on, proper patching at regular intervals is a must.
Play Safe with your Sensitive Information
While accessing sensitive information like emails, banking transactions or any other sensitive data, your best bet is to do it from a secure network. By and large, cafes, restaurants, parks, trains, airports, etc. are not the places to perform such activities. Accessing such sensitive information using a Public Wi-Fi is the most careless thing to do, and we hope you are not that careless.
Turn-Off Automatic Connections
There are certain things that you need to do with your laptop or any other smart device. First of all, check the settings to make sure that your device is not set to connect automatically to Wi-Fi hotspots. Keep the decision making in your hand and don’t allow your device to log into any Wi-Fi automatically. Secondly, always switch-off sharing and Wi-Fi capabilities when not in use without a second thought. It won’t do much but will eliminate a possible avenue to exploit for hackers and fishers. Not to forget, remind your device to forget certain Wi-Fi networks. These simple steps will allow you to be safe since a little effort is what is required from your side. Here is a quick article to look up to help you see who is using your WIFI on Windows.
Additional Layer of Security
The world has recently realized the need for online security and the need of using additional security tools like Tor, proxies, VPNs, etc. is ever increasing. These tools are gaining immense popularity and are being used globally. Why? It’s simple! Certain websites and communication channels aren’t encrypted by default and protective cover of encryption on such sites and channels. Apparently, it won’t protect you on every site, but for most, it does. Also, it will make the task of hackers bit irritating by adding a layer of security. I will recommend PureVPN. If you want to know why I recommended this VPN service then here is a review of PureVPN.
Heard about Two-Factor Authentication?
Two-factor authentication does a similar task mentioned above, adding a layer of security, forcing data sniffers to invest extra efforts. However, it is considered as the future of authentication since despite attaining your password, hackers won’t be able to access your information without your permission. So, whenever your insatiable appetite for free Wi-Fi raises its head, use two-factor authentication to protect your precious information and do whatever you want to do online while staying safe and secure.
Consider Using a VPN
Over the recent years, VPNs have turned out to be the most viable solution for online privacy and security. This is the most efficient and feasible solution to help you browse the internet in an encrypted manner, even on public Wi-Fi networks. A VPN allows you to stay anonymous online by changing your IP address and also keeps your web traffic encrypted. In this way, you can dramatically trim down phishing opportunities for hackers and scammers.
It is quite easy to understand that rejecting free Wi-Fi service is not an option but how about doing it with complete protection? These are simple exercises that won’t consume much of your time. All you need to do is to keep your heads up and security check on. And not to forget, always turn off your Wi-Fi when not in use.
