There are security risks associated with using free Public Wi-Fi and Hotspots. The high number of people who make use of public Wi-Fi daily, makes it a very appealing target for hackers and Cyber Criminals. Ideally one should avoid using public Wi-Fi for this reason alone, but there are various other factors to consider when deciding whether to use public Wi-Fi.
Why do people use free public Wi-Fi and Hotspots?
It is human nature to take advantage of opportunities to get something for free. Data is no different. Why pay for using your own data when sitting at a coffee shop, when there is free data available right there? This is often the only question that people ask themselves when deciding to connect to public Wi-Fi, without giving the potential security risk any thought.
Public Wi-Fi may sometime also offer better line speed and a more stable internet connection, depending on your mobile data package and where in the world you are. This is also often the reason why people make use of public Wi-Fi.
What are the security risks when using free public Wi-Fi and Hotspots?
As mentioned previously in this article, the high number of people who make use of public Wi-Fi, makes it a very appealing target for hackers and Cyber Criminals.
When you connect to Wi-Fi, you connect to a router, which in turn connects to the internet.
Hackers can target devices that are connected to the Wi-Fi router, or they can hack the router directly. Either way, once this is done, devices connected to the network can be compromised. Hackers can then either attempt to steal information, or their intention could be to install malicious software onto the devices to further compromise it.
The average person who make use of public Wi-Fi and Hotspots do not know what level of security exist on the router that they are connecting to. Routers are not created equal and have different levels of security.
Other factors to consider when using public Wi-Fi.
Just to name a few:
- How up to date is the firmware on the router?
- Did the person who set it up change the administrative passwords to a strong password, or simply leave it on the factory default password?
- Is data encryption enabled on the router?
- How determined and skilled are potential hackers?
There is often a misconception that Cyber Criminals who hack people’s devices on public W-Fi are suspicious looking people who are sitting around at coffee shops and other public places. This is not true. Cyber Criminals come in the proverbial all shapes and sizes. If they decided to do this for a living, it is safe to assume that they did not only hone their hacking skills, but also the skill of blending in.
Because hackers often target the Wi-Fi routers, they do not necessarily have to be close. They can literally be sitting on the other side of the world, while hacking the devices connected to the router.
Another risk is the fact that Hackers sometime create their own Wi-Fi networks, to mimic legitimate Wi-Fi Networks. They then use this to get devices to connect to their networks, “thinking” that they are connecting to the legitimate Wi-Fi network.
An alarming fact about Wi-Fi hacking, is that the hacker does not need to be an experienced hacker. These days hacking software and tutorials are readily available online.
How to stay safe on Public Wi-Fi and Hotspots?
Because public Wi-Fi and hotspots are inherently popular targets for hackers, it is best to avoid using these. If you must make use of it however, we provide the following recommendations on how to avoid the security risks associated with public Wi-Fi.
- Do not log into your bank account, or anything that contains sensitive, confidential, or personal information while connected to public W-Fi
- Do not shop online while connected to public Wi-Fi. When you make payment, you may unknowingly leak your credit card information to a hacker.
- Open Public Wi-Fi and Hotspots that do not require a password to connect is generally less secure than those where passwords to connect. Avoid using open networks that does not require a password is a requirement to connect to it.
- When the name of the network that you want to connect to for the first time comes up on your device, check that the spelling is correct. Hackers often create fake networks with similar names to trick users into logging onto their own Wi-Fi Networks, instead of the intended network.
- Do not connect to unfamiliar Network names. Also check the W-Fi security settings and do not allow your device to automatically connect to unknown Wi-Fi networks.
- Turn your Wi-Fi off when not in use. When you connect to Wi-Fi networks, your device store these in a list of known networks. If hackers create a fake network with the same name and password, your device could automatically connect to it. For example, a hacker can create a fake network with the same name and password as a popular local coffee shop with free Wi-Fi. This will then trick devices into “thinking” that it is connecting to a known Wi-Fi network.
- Install reputable Anti-Virus software like Norton, McAfee, or Bitdefender on your devices, to protect it from Malware being uploaded onto it.
- When connecting to public Wi-Fi make use of a reputable VPN like NordVPN. This will ensure end to end encryption of your data. In other words, your data will be encrypted on your device before it goes out onto the network.