How safe are open Wi-Fi Networks?
Open Wi-Fi networks give you access to the Internet by radio signals instead of wires, so you get to surf the net anywhere like at the hotels, airports or at the mall you can get online at a coffee shop or at the other coffee shop. But there are strings attached to that public wireless network you are connected to, it has other people on it and some of them might be cyber criminals who are after your information. Cyber criminals are especially likely to work on Wi-Fi networks that don’t require passwords, they will even set up the so-called devil twin networks in the same area as safe Wi-Fi networks with a similar name to fool you into logging on. Even if you avoid cyber criminals online, there may be some shoulder surfers in the cafe whose eyes might see you doing things like entering a password. It is easy to lose everything on a public Wi-Fi network but it’s just as easy to protect yourself by doing some very easy things
How to Avoid getting Hacked while connected to Open Wi-Fi networks
According to Brightside Here are some few ways on how to stay safe using public Wi-Fi Networks
– Protect your device by enabling your firewall and keeping your antivirus software up to date this is more important than ever if you are using a public Wi-Fi network. Always use the latest antivirus versions
– Look carefully at the address of the network you are logging onto, watching for spelling variations designed to fool you.
– Turn off any auto connect or asked to join networks features or you might be connected to an evil twin network without even knowing it.
– When you are finished using public Wi-Fi log out immediately that’s like locking the doors on hackers. Wi-Fi networks let you get online just about anywhere they also provide cyber criminal opportunities to scam you everywhere
– Never login into any of your mobile wallets, or mobile banking apps to protect yourself from data theft. Hackers can have this details as you enter them, as long you are connected to the same free Wi-Fi. Few. Paid megabytes are a reasonable price for your account safety, right? Don’t be that pennywise.
– Fake networks might also redirect you to popular websites except those that are really only connecting your personal data. If you see any weird characters in a familiar website’s URL, it most likely means that this website is not authentic. If you’d still like to store passwords on your media device, at least use a password manager that encrypts information in it.
