The dangers of using public WiFi

Ever connected to an unsecured WiFi hotspot? We know that we have! An unsecured wireless network is essentially any network that doesn’t require credentials – a username or password – in order to log in.

You need to be extremely careful when considering connecting to an unsecured network. One of the most popular ways for hackers to get access to your personal information is through a Man in the Middle attack. This is whereby a hacker intercepts your connection and captures data you’ve transmitted over the network – this means that they potentially have access to your usernames, passwords and even your bank details.

The best way to avoid the risks of public WiFi (other than not using it at all) is to connect to a secure network encrypts your data (coverts your data into cipher or code), preventing a hacker from intercepting you. You should also check that websites in your browser start with ‘https’ rather than ‘http’ – ‘https’ means you are securely connected.

Be cautious when surfing the web in public. Try not to visit websites that require usernames and passwords like social networks, emails and mobile banking sites -save that for when you’re at home.