Nowadays, Wi-Fi is almost ubiquitous. Everywhere you look, from coffee shops to airports to public places such as parks and town squares, there is a Wi-Fi network waiting for you to click “connect.” These networks are very handy and may significantly reduce your data consumption. Without a doubt, Wi-Fi is an amazing tool since it drives so much of what we do—both professionally and emotionally. Additionally, it keeps us linked regardless of our location in the world. However, using public Wi-Fi has certain dangers, many of which you may be unaware of. Before connecting, it’s critical to understand the dangers and take precautions to ensure the security of your connection and sensitive data when using Wi-Fi.
What is a public Wi-Fi network?
A public Wi-Fi network is any network that is not connected to your home network. It is a network inside a public space, such as a bar, restaurant, or park, that is either owned by the business or, in certain instances, by the city or municipality. Consider it any network you connect to outside of your house (or a friend’s home), and something you often use when traveling. Often, these networks are set up without passwords or with very basic passwords that are easily remembered. Frequently, these passwords are linked to the establishment’s or service’s name (for example, Coffee123). While this is convenient, it also introduces some significant privacy concerns, which we will discuss below.
Common places for public Wi-Fi networks
- Airports and transportation hubs
- Coffeehouses
- Public areas
- Parks
- Shops and merchants
- Public transportation (trains and buses)
- Restaurants and bars
- Libraries
What are the potential dangers of public Wi-Fi?
Unsecured networks with weak passwords (or no passwords at all) make it easy for anybody—hackers, snoopers, or other bad actors—to get access to your connection and information. Additionally, these networks often lack robust protection beyond their passwords; according to the security company Kaspersky, 14% of public Wi-Fi networks do not employ encryption at all. Due to this lack of protection, it is much too simple for hackers to join and then snoop on your activities. They may even gather your information or seize control of your machine in certain cases.
Several of the most frequent hazards associated with public Wi-Fi include the following:
Man in the middle attacks
A man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack happens when a hacker’s device is placed between your device and the Wi-Fi hotspot connection. In a nutshell, they route your traffic via their computer first. This is often accomplished by simulating a genuine network. Unsuspecting users will then join the network, believing it is genuine, forcing their traffic to flow via the hacker’s computer, allowing the hacker to steal logins and passwords and spy on everything you do. Talk about being terrified! This may be a personal violation of privacy, or, if you operate on a network, a danger to your company.
Malware
Malware may take the form of viruses, ransomware, worms, adware, or Trojan horses. It is often introduced via a software vulnerability or a security flaw in an application or operating system on your computer. Malware may have a negative impact on your internet experience, ranging from depleting your bandwidth to causing damage to your machines, while also providing hackers with a means of accessing your machine and data. Unsecured Wi-Fi may make it very simple for hackers to insert malware or even use your machine to spread it.
Malicious hotspots
Also known as honeypots or rogue hotspots, they are exactly what they sound like: harmful hotspots that you connect to inadvertently. These hackers create fake hotspots that appear and sound genuine and often use the name of a nearby actual hotspot to mislead you into joining a network. The thieves may then take any data they want from you and your computer. This kind of hotspot is often used to inject malware as well, earning it the moniker “evil twin” assault.
Unencrypted networks
This is a fundamental security issue: connecting to a website that does not employ encryption. Although unencrypted websites have become more uncommon with the advent of HTTPS, they still exist. This implies that if the information is intercepted, it may be read immediately and without effort. Whereas it is very difficult or impossible to do so if it is encrypted. We often discuss encryption (after all, we are a VPN business!) and think it is extremely essential to use it each time you connect.
Packet sniffing
Packet sniffing is the technique of listening in on data transmitted and received over a wireless network. A tool called a packet sniffer will expose everything sent over an unsecured wireless network, reiterating the necessity of encryption stated before. It’s important to remember that packet sniffers are not always used maliciously; when used properly, they may also assist in troubleshooting network and performance problems.
Session hijacking
When a malicious individual intercepts information about your computer and its connection to websites or other services, this is referred to as “session hijacking.” They may then use this information to set up their own computer to correspond to yours and “hijack” or take over the connection.
What are the risks associated with unsecured Wi-Fi use?
As you can see, there are many dangers associated with utilizing public Wi-Fi. These circumstances may have several negative effects, including the following:
- Malware, trojans, and other infections may cause harm to your computer in addition to compromising your data.
- Personal information theft: Hackers may steal login names, passwords, financial information, personal conversations, and any other PII.
- Identity theft: If a hacker has access to your account or a large amount of personal information, they may use it to conduct transactions, damage your credit score, and even disrupt your relationships.
- Data collection: Data collection by marketers or the owner of the Wi-Fi network (for example, a company or coffee shop that may be collecting information about you) that you consented to them collecting when you checked the checkbox.
- Breach of privacy in general: The majority of the things listed above imply, at the very least, a breach or invasion of your privacy and your right to privacy.
How to stay safe while using public Wi-Fi?
Are you worried about all the risks associated with public Wi-Fi? Consider not connecting to a public Wi-Fi network in the future. Fortunately, you do not have to go that far. There are many easy things you can do to significantly improve your security and minimize your risk and vulnerabilities while using public Wi-Fi networks.
Think first
As is the case with many things, awareness is critical. Knowing that a Wi-Fi network may compromise your privacy and bearing this in mind before you click the connect button may make the difference between connecting to a rogue hotspot intended to deceive you and a genuine one. Additionally, it may assist you in making proactive decisions to safeguard your privacy.
Utilize a VPN
A VPN is the most effective method of protecting yourself whenever you use public Wi-Fi. A VPN secures your connection by encrypting it, ensuring that even if it is intercepted, no one can see what you are doing on the network. It safeguards your data and compensates for any security flaws in the Wi-Fi network itself.
Prevent access to private information
While this may seem self-evident, abstain from engaging in revealing activities while connected to a public Wi-Fi network. Just in case, avoid logging into your bank account or gaining access to extremely sensitive data or information. If you do nothing sensitive, even if you are hacked, the repercussions will be less severe.
Disable sharing
Certain devices provide discovery modes, airdrop capabilities, and other sharing-related functions. While they are handy, they are much riskier when linked to public Wi-Fi networks, where other computers may gain access to your data. Wait to do these kinds of trades until you are at home or on a trustworthy private network.
Verify HTTPS compatibility
Unlike HTTP, HTTPS is a web prefix that denotes a secure connection. Ascertain that every site to which you connect starts with this prefix and that your data is secured. Connect to non-HTTP sites.
Activate your firewall or anti-virus software
Ascertain that privacy-protecting measures on your computer, such as firewalls or antivirus software, are active. This may assist in defending against certain invasions.
Consult privacy notices
This is a self-evident statement, but always read any privacy policies or similar warnings that may appear when connecting to a new network. Occasionally, these warnings alert you to activities such as data monitoring or sharing with the network owner (typically in “exchange” for allowing you to use the network for free).
Ensure your safety when using public Wi-Fi with NordVPN
As you can see, public Wi-Fi is not as secure or as simple as you may believe! The single best method to ensure your safety and protection is to use a VPN whenever you log in. NordVPN has automated, simple-to-use features such as public Wi-Fi protection, which protects you whenever you connect to an unfamiliar network that you have not designated as secure.