Everyone loves Free Wi-Fi – But what’s the cost?
It’s safe to say most of us have done it. You’re out and about with your smartphone, tablet or notebook computer and you see that there’s a wireless network available…and it doesn’t need a password to connect to it…so you connect and start using this free wireless network, so what’s the problem?
Well any Wifi network you connect to that doesn’t require a password is generally unencrypted so for starters that means that all your internet activity using that connection can be ‘listened in’ on…just like a radio broadcast – and it’s all done with a simple program. Cyber criminals than then collect this information which might include any passwords you use, personal information and even banking log in details.
So while a free Wi-Fi hotspot may have been legitimately setup for people to use for free, others may try to use that security flaw to their advantage, however some of these free Wifi spots are actually setup by malicious users looking to catch out unsuspecting users.
If you are connecting to public Wifi – some things you can do to stay safe.
- Try and verify that the network is authentic – who is actually providing it?
- Stick to secure encrypted websites – those that start with HTTPS, not HTTP.
- Ensure you have good internet security software installed which is up to date
If you’re not sure and still need to connect – avoid do anything of a personal nature like logging into banking or social networking sites.
Want more information on this topic? Here are some suggested resources
http://www.howtogeek.com – Using public Wi-Fi
http://www.staysmartonline.gov.au- Securing your internet connection
