Cyber Defense eMagazine December 2019

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for spying, snooping, and third-party interferences on your activity so you can safely enjoy the perks of
public Wi-Fi without worrying about prying eyes.
There are a number of free and paid VPN solutions available. Free VPNs reduce the risks associated
with public Wi-Fi, however, they also have security limitations. For this reason, it’s much better to invest
in a paid VPN service to ensure maximum protection. Study the tariffs of ProtonVPN and you’ll see how
cheap VPN providers might be.
2. Password Protected Public Wi-Fi
Most public Wi-Fi is not password protected, however, there are a few businesses that offer passwordsecured
Wi-Fi. These businesses provide you with a password on request and are safer than using open
public Wi-Fi.
There are two benefits of password-secured Wi-Fi. First, the password is provided only on request and
there are a limited number of users connected to the wireless portal, reducing the chances of cyber
criminals and predators scanning for hacking opportunities. Second, it’s not unusual for cyber criminals
to set up fake public Wi-Fi portals and deploy them in busy areas to lure users into thinking they are the
real thing. The names of these fake wireless portals are typically very similar to legitimate networks in
the vicinity, for example, “Free Starbucks Wi-Fi” alongside Starbucks Wi-Fi. Criminals use these fake
wireless portals to scoop up the personal data of people who are fooled into using them. Fake portals
aren’t password protected, however, so if you have the option of using password protected Wi-Fi there
is much less chance of falling prey to a fake public hotspot.
3. Turn Off Wi-Fi
Many people like to set their device to auto connect to Wi-Fi so they can automatically connect to a
network as soon as they are in range. This practice is safe when at home or in the workplace and the
connections are secure, but it can make your device vulnerable if you are in public places.
There are several malicious and fake public Wi-Fi hotspots operated for the sole purpose of hacking and
hi-jacking data. If your device automatically connects to one of these networks there is a high probability
your device will be infected with malware designed to steal online and offline data. Turning the Wi-Fi auto
connect functionality off when you are in public places can help protect your device and data.
4. Anti-Virus
There are loads of viruses that can attack your device when you click on malicious links. These links are
often disguised masquerading as a system upgrade, for instance, and are not easy to detect. Being
cautious about the links you click on can help keep your device safe, but when you are connected to
public Wi-Fi you are at increased risk of malware. Alarmingly, even a single device on a Wi-Fi connection
that contains malware can automatically infect all the other devices that also connect to the network.
Anti-virus is essential to protect your devices and keep them safe from malware and viruses. AV software
will notify you about invading malware and block it from accessing your device, and alert you about
suspicious links as well as any other unusual activity within your device. Installing and actively using AV
software dramatically reduces security threats to your devices and data.