Public Wi-Fi | Connect or Avoid? – 🌐 Biswap News Portal

Hey, Biswappers, it is Robi! Good to see you here! Thank you for taking the time to learn with me 🤗. I have learned that education is key to success, and that’s why I love teaching you! I wish all of you to become confident and booming crypto users so we can reach greater heights together.

Well, let’s begin our new topic today, shall we?

Why is it not Safe to Connect to Public Wi-Fi?

Public Wi-Fi may seem like a great idea, right? Free access to the Internet, why not? It may benefit you greatly when travelling, especially to another country. However, I strongly recommend you not to connect to public Wi-Fi. Let’s take at some of its dangers:

Unsecured Network
Man-in-the-Middle Attacks
Snooping and Sniffing
Fake Hotspots
Malware

Now, we will review each one to see what it means.

⚠️Unsecured Network

Public Wi-Fi is mainly offered as a free service, so the routers usually lack some basic encryption. Without it, the received or sent data can be viewed by anyone who can intercept it.

⚠️Man-in-the-Middle Attacks

It is one of the most common threats when using public Wi-Fi. It happens when a man in the middle intercepts the communication between devices, for example, your device and router, website or service you connected to via free Internet.

Your login credentials, passwords, bank information, and other data you send via an unencrypted link are all at risk. In most cases, man-in-the-middle attacks involve snooping and sniffing.

⚠️Snooping and Sniffing

This threat type means attackers can use special software or purchase devices or kits. They can see everything you are doing online (ex, your search history) and steal sensitive information such as username and password. Moreover, you won’t be aware when an attacker is snooping and sniffing your activity.

Let’s take a short break! 1,2,3…Ready to continue?

⚠️Fake Hotspots

Another common way to become a cyberattack victim is through fake hotspots. Attackers can create a phoney network using the names of nearby businesses to make them seem legitimate. You may think that you are connecting valid public Wi-Fi at the airport, hotel, hospital, etc., when it’s a way for hackers to access the data on your device.

⚠️Malware

In general, malware is software that gives attackers access to a system, device, or network. They may introduce malware to your device by taking advantage of holes in weak software. Specifically designed code can be written to target software vulnerabilities. It also can be distributed through email attachments, download links, upgrade pop-ups and more.

As you can see, many threats are available when connecting to public Wi-Fi. Even though it’s better to stay away from using it, there may be unforeseen circumstances when you need to use free Wi-Fi. In that case, make sure to complete simple precautions.

🔒Safety Measures to Take!

When connecting to public Wi-Fi is unavoidable, take safety measures to protect your sensitive information:

Make sure your operating system and antivirus are up-to-date;
Ensure that file sharing is disabled;
Disable Wi-Fi auto-connect settings on your device;
Using virtual private networks (VPNs) is recommended;
Avoid interacting with your private information (banking details, login credentials, social security number, etc.);
Do not conduct any financial transactions on public networks (including crypto);
Use SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) Connections;
Make sure Wi-Fi is turned off when you’re not using it.

Biswap cares about your safety! To know more about being safe in the crypto world, refer here:
🔎https://bit.ly/3nSOY10

Closing Thoughts

With the constant progress in technologies, it’s essential to be aware of the available risks and ways to protect your personal information. I hope this short lesson will help you in the future!

Stay safe and stay with Biswap!