The Dangers of Public Wi-Fi

Recently, one of our citizens became a victim of a cybercriminal who was able to gain access into their bank account and scam them out of several thousand dollars. One of the ways this can happen is when you use public Wi-Fi "hotspots". This seems like an innocent, everyday activity but it becomes risky when you log into sites like your bank or your email.

Man in the Middle

One of the most common attacks is a called "man in the middle". This is where an attacker gets between the data sent from your computer to your service/website and intercepts (reads) it.

Malicious Hotspots

This is where rogue access points are set up to look like a real access point. These access points will look legitimate but now cybercriminals can view your sensitive information.

Malware Distribution

There may be weaknesses in software that allows cybercriminals to insert malware onto your system without you being aware.



These are just a few of the dangers one could face when using public Wi-Fi! Here are a few tips to help keep you safe from Norton Security:

Don’t:

• Allow your Wi-Fi to auto-connect to networks

• Log into any account via an app that contains sensitive information. Go to the website instead and verify it uses HTTPS before logging in

• Leave your Wi-Fi or Bluetooth on if you are not using them

• Access websites that hold your sensitive information, such as financial or healthcare accounts

• Log onto a network that isn’t password protected

Do:

• Disable file sharing

• Only visit sites using HTTPS

• Log out of accounts when done using them

• Use a VPN to secure your public Wi-Fi connections