The risk of using public Wi-Fi networks

It is so common to ask for the Wi-Fi password almost everywhere you go. Most times it is written on the menu or even hanged on a sign somewhere on the wall.

But have you wondered how safe are these public networks?

 

 

Contrary to private wireless networks, which are protected by automatic encryption, the public networks are not as safe. This means that your data could be accessed by others with whom you are sharing the network.

Since these networks are accessible to everyone, it means they host several users at the same time. This increases the risks of sharing the network with potential hackers who could get a hold of your information such as bank details and more.

Most times we are not even aware of how poorly secured these networks are. So what can we do?

Tip number 1 is to use a VPN because all the exchanges are encrypted before being received by the network.

You could also opt for emails that remain secure through a secure https site. This is hard to manage at times as the traffic may direct you to an unsafe HTTP right after identification. That is why it is best to use non-web mail such as Outlook or a web-mail that has opted for full https protection such as Gmail.

Keep in mind that nothing is confidential while you are using a public wireless network.