Do not allow WiFi networks to auto-connect.That means that the data you send and receive is open and readable to hackers rather than scrambled and secured. Who looks after IT security in a coffee shop? Have router passwords been changed from factory defaults like 0000 or 1111, for example? One in four public WiFi networks are unencrypted. Other reasons public WiFi networks are not safe Related: 4 reasons private browsing isn’t as private as you’d think. This allows them to have full access to everything you’re doing online. Hackers use special software and devices to monitor WiFi signals. It’s been set up to look authentic but can give a hacker access to your devices and data. If a hacker adds a few letters or numbers to the WiFi network name of the coffee shop or hotel you’re in, you could be logging-in to an “evil twin” network. There’s a good chance you’ll be misdirected to a rogue site or be asked to click a bogus link that downloads malware. Man-in-the-MiddleĬlassic eavesdropping: the hacker sits between your device and the web app you connect with - a silent relay that captures data as it passes from point to point. Here are some common ways you’re exposed on public WiFi. So, when you’re logging into your bank account, the guy sat at the adjacent table might literally be watching you type in your password and user name from behind their own computer screen. Unencrypted WiFi means you’re visible on the network and anyone with basic hacking skills can access your information. Public WiFi - like you’d find at a coffee shop, airport, hotel, mall, restaurant, or practically anywhere - is typically unencrypted. What you may not know is that anyone connected to that same WiFi network could be watching. Maybe you check your online bank account, or pay a utility bill. To save on data charges, perhaps you connect your mobile device, too. You go into your local coffee shop, fire up your laptop, and connect to the free WiFi. Welcome to Hotspot Shield’s “Security Tip of the Week”, where we offer helpful suggestions to protect you and your family online.
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