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Countdown to Christmas Cyber Security Tip #14

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Should I connect to Public Wi-Fi?

Coffee shops, hotels and libraries have been offering free Wi-Fi for years. But should you connect to Public Wi-Fi?

Ideally no.

Public Wi-Fi is classified as any Wi-Fi connection not owned by you or your employer. ‘So what!’ I hear you say. ‘McDonalds doesn’t want to steal my Facebook logon details, and Starbucks doesn’t want the Christmas list I just e-mailed Santa’.

Whilst you are more than likely correct, there are Cyber Criminals that do want this information, and Public Wi-Fi is one of the easiest ways of stealing it.

If you must connect via Public Wi-Fi, follow these tips for a safer experience.

  1. Confirm the name of the connection

It is very easy for someone to create a Wi-Fi hotspot, and record the data as you browse the web.

  1. Forget the network

One of the ways criminals take advantage of human nature, is to set up a “Starbucks” Wi-Fi in the middle of the coffee shop. Phones and laptops that have previously been connected to “Starbucks” will automatically connect to the Fake Wi-Fi, potentially without you noticing.

  1. Keep it short

If you do need to use public Wi-Fi, do what is required and then disconnect.

  1. Keep it secure

If possible, utilise your corporate VPN to ensure all traffic is secure.

 

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About the author

Steve founded CCS IT Solutions in 2004, and has spent over two decades helping small and medium-sized businesses get IT support that's practical, not just fast, asking the awkward questions early rather than waiting for something to go wrong. Outside of work, Steve's usually training for his next running challenge, having taken on the London Marathon, the Great North Run, and ultra distances across England, Scotland and Wales. He brings roughly the same steady, one-mile-at-a-time approach to both.
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