Hacking prevention: 5 tips to stay safe when using public Wi-Fi

Tips to stay safe when using public Wi-Fi

When travelling, you may have to use public Wi-Fi at some point, usually in airports, hotels and eateries. Though public Wi-Fi can be convenient to use and allows you to stay connected, it is a hacking-prone online network that can prove risky to your personal information like social media logins and banking details. It need not be stressed enough that you should already be using a reliable online security solution to keep your smartphones and other devices protected. Still, you should be careful when using public Wi-Fi.

Here are 5 tips from cybersecurity firm Kaspersky on staying safe when using public Wi-Fi.

1. Only connect to public Wi-Fi when you don’t have an option

2. Verify public Wi-Fi network authenticity with the facility staff

To abuse legitimate public Wi-Fi networks, hackers and scammers can create fake Wi-Fi networks or compromise existing ones. For their fake versions of legitimate networks, they may use names quite similar to those of legitimate networks to fool users into connecting. Once the connection is established, personal information like email addresses, social media login credentials, and banking details becomes vulnerable to interception and misuse.

When using public Wi-Fi, you can confirm the legitimacy of the network with the facility's staff where you are located. That way, you can be saved from logging on to the fake network.

3. Do not login to public Wi-Fi through social media/ any external platform

Pay attention to the login page of the public Wi-Fi network. If it requests login credentials through social media applications or any other external platform, take it as a warning sign and do not log in. It could be a phishing attempt by hackers to get their hands on sensitive user data.

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4. Avoid financial transactions on public Wi-Fi

As per Kaspersky, “it is safe practice to avoid accessing websites that require login information, particularly financial services, while connected to public Wi-Fi. This practice significantly reduces the risk of sensitive data interception”.

5. Use a trusted/ reputed Virtual Private Network (VPN) on public Wi-Fi

You increase the chances of staying more private and secure on public Wi-Fi when using a trusted/reputed Virtual Private Network (VPN). A trusted VPN encrypts your data, hides the actual IP address of the device used to access the internet and also shields it from unauthorised access.

Also, a VPN can be used continuously, not just when you need to connect to open Wi-Fi networks. You can keep the VPN active at all times to maintain your privacy irrespective of the network used. A high-quality VPN service also does not compromise internet speed so that you can access the web with its full protection without any significant lag in browsing or download speeds.