Public Wi-Fi…Safe or Sketchy?

Recent conversations with some of our clients made me realize there is a lot of confusion out there about Public Wi-Fi. Public Wi-Fi hotspots in places like airports, coffee shops, hotels, schools, and countless other places are convenient, however they aren’t usually secure. We generally recommend trying not to use Public Wi-Fi, but realize there are just some times when you may need access via a Public hotspot. In these cases, there are ways to minimize your risk while using Public Wi-Fi.

Is Public Wi-Fi Secure?

When using Wi-Fi on your home network, with a personal hotspot device, or a hotspot from your cell phone can be very secure way of using Wi-fi since you can control the access password, encrypt the data on that network and even limit devices that can connect. Out in public using someone else’s Wi-Fi, you have to assume that the network is not secure and there isn’t much you can do about that. On an unsecure network there are many ways for the bad guys to capture your information. The tools to do this are plentiful and in a lot of cases free to download.

What are my options?

Like I stated earlier, there isn’t much you can do to make Public Wi-Fi more secure, however there are ways to limit your exposure. In most cases, if your IT provider is doing their due diligence, the files and information on the computer are protected by some sort of endpoint protection software that helps prevent intrusion. The real risk on Public Wi-Fi connections come from the data as it travels on the network. Any hacker with a packet capture tool will be able to capture and decipher any unencrypted data on that network with ease. Below are some steps you can use to mitigate that risk:

• Use your mobile hotspot. Most smart phones provide this option. It puts you in control of the access and the passwords required to access it. In a lot of cases, the mobile data is encrypted already and is a quality alternative to Public Wi-Fi.
• Only access websites securely. When you see https:// at the beginning of the web address, you know the site is secure. Secure isn’t synonymous with legitimate and unfortunately, the bad guys know you may be looking for this, so they are adding this to their sites as well. When connected to a secure site, the traffic between the site and your device will be encrypted, but the hackers running the site will still have access to the info.
• Use a VPN app. There are apps out there that will create a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that will create an encrypted tunnel between your device and their server. This tunnel will encrypt the data on the Public Wi-Fi portion of it’s journey. If you want to use this option there are a lot of options out there and I recommend learning more before purchasing and downloading one.

Other Options. 

There are also some other ways you can protect yourself while using Public Wi-Fi.

• Listen to your web browser. Most modern web browsers have some built in alerts to try to help keep you safe. If your browser is warning you a site isn’t safe, you should assume it is correct.
• Update your browser. Make sure to keep your browser updated to the latest version. This will ensure you have the latest security patches.
• Don’t access any websites that are linked to your personal or financial information. These sites are better accessed through your private networks such as home or work.
• If you have to access personal information, only use websites that are known to you and fully encrypted. If the address changes from https to http at any time during the visit, it isn’t fully encrypted.
• Log Out. Never stay signed in permanently to website accounts. When you are finished, log out.

If you still have questions or concerns about Wi-Fi security, Leading Edge Technology Partners would be happy to discuss them with you or help you achieve a security plan that works for you.