Top 10 Tips How to Use Public WiFi Safely

What are the dangers of using public Wi-Fi?

Public WiFi isn't innately bad, the issue comes from who else might be using it. You're not the only one who finds WiFi hotspots super convenient— an unsecured public WiFi is like a cybercriminal's candy store. Unfortunately, many businesses that offer WiFi pay little or no attention to protecting it which can leave the door wide open for bad actors and their schemes. Therefore, it's up to you to learn how to protect yourself when using public WiFi.

But before you can do that, you need to know what the risks are. Here are the dangers of using public Wi-Fi every internet user should be aware of:

Man-in-the-middle attacks

Man-in-the-middle attacks (MITM) are one of the most common forms of cyberattacks on public WiFi. MITM is basically a type of eavesdropping enabled by vulnerabilities in the network. A scammer “inserts” themselves between a user's device and any website they connect to. Anything transmitted over the connection, such as passwords or financial details, can then be intercepted and read by the bad actor. Of course, the man-in-the-middle doesn't necessarily have to be a hacker, it could also be the network provider that is sniffing your traffic.

“Evil twin” WiFi

This is a common phishing attack, where criminals will set up a WiFi hotspot with an almost identical name to that of a legitimate network. The aim is to trick users into connecting to a malicious hotspot so that the bad actor can monitor all of your traffic and steal sensitive data. Let's say you're in a cafe called “Lola's Cafe” and their legit WiFi is called “Hola”, the evil twin might be “HoIa”. Looks exactly the same right? Except in the latter, the L is a capital I. This is certainly one of the sneakiest dangers of using public WiFi.

Malware

If the device you're using to connect to a public WiFi hotspot isn't fully up-to-date with security patches, you could be at risk of a malware attack. Bad actors exploit these weaknesses to slip malware onto vulnerable devices via unsecured WiFi network connections. This is perhaps one of the most important reasons why you should learn how to protect yourself when using public WiFi. Malware can be a nightmare to detect and remove.

Unencrypted network

An encrypted network keeps any data you share over it safe from prying eyes. But, on older routers, encryption is turned off by default. So, unless it's a newer device or it has been set up by someone who knows to enable encryption, the public network will likely be unprotected.

Tips on how to protect yourself when using public Wi-Fi

Now that you know the possible dangers of using public Wi-Fi, it's time to learn how to protect yourself when using public WiFi. Here are our 10 tips on how to make public WiFi safer.

#1 Avoid accessing sensitive info

First and foremost, only use public WiFi for non-sensitive stuff. You can check your email and scroll your Facebook feed, or post your breakfast to Instagram, but don't access your bank. Anything that requires authentication like online banking, paying bills, or making a credit card purchase, do at home or use your mobile data.

#2 Stick to HTTPS websites

Stick to websites with URLs that begin with HTTPS, as this indicates that they are encrypted. Nowadays, the vast majority of websites are but it still pays to be vigilant. If you were to access an HTTP (non-encrypted) website or page via an unsecured WiFi network, then your traffic and any sensitive data could be visible to anyone else on the network. And that includes bad actors.

For extra security, you could install HTTPS Everywhere. This free open-source browser extension forces websites to use an HTTPS connection, if they support it. It will instantly block any sites/pages if they don't meet the grade, keeping you safer on public WiFi.

#3 Turn off file sharing

Before you connect to public WiFi, check that your device isn't configured to share files. If you don't turn this off, everything you've saved in these folders will be accessible to others using the same public network. Should there be a bad actor lurking, they will easily get their hands on your private information.

#4 Use two-factor authentication

Cybercriminals snooping on public WiFi networks could steal your passwords. Adding two-factor authentication (2FA) to accounts means that even if that happens, they won't gain access. 2FA introduces a second step to any login process, this can be a code sent to your smartphone or biometrics, such as a fingerprint or facial recognition. Without the second piece of the puzzle, the login can't be completed, keeping bad actors at bay.

#5 Keep your OS up to date

As we mentioned before, hackers will lay malware “traps” on WiFi networks for weakened devices or operating systems. Don't ignore it when your Operating System (OS) tells you there are updates available to install. These updates often include security patches that could be all that stands between your sensitive data and the dangers of using public WiFi such as nasty malware or a snooping cybercriminal.

#6 Use antivirus software

Installing antivirus software on your device is a good way to make public Wi-Fi safer. Antivirus software detects malware and spyware and warns you of any suspicious sites or links. If any malicious software does happen to get through onto your device, the antivirus software should be able to detect it and prompt you to take steps to remove it.

#7 Log out of accounts and forget the network

One of the most overlooked tips on how to protect yourself when using public WiFi is to limit the window of access. Try to keep your public WiFi browsing sessions short and sweet. The less time you're on there, the better. Once you're done, log out of any services you've used. Then go to the settings on your smartphone or device you've used to connect and select “forget network”. This means you won't be automatically connected without consent should you happen to be within range.

#8 Disable “Connect Automatically”

Another way to minimize the time spent on possibly insecure public WiFi is to adjust your connection settings and deselect “connect automatically”. This will stop your device from searching for and automatically connecting to potentially dodgy WiFi networks which could leave you exposed to the dangers of using public WiFi without you even realizing it.

#9 Use a VPN

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a great way to minimize the dangers of using public Wi-Fi. When using a VPN, the public WiFi network is only used to connect your device to the VPN client, instead of your entire traffic traveling through it. When your traffic hits the VPN server, your communications are encrypted before it is passed on to the wider web.

# 10 Use Hoody

Hoody protects you in more or less the same way that VPNs do, with one huge exception... A lot of public WiFi networks are now blocking VPN usage but with Hoody, you can't be blocked. We make the bulk of the traffic pass through standard HTTPS so Internet Service Providers are basically bamboozled into thinking there is no VPN usage.

We'll let you decide what is the best answer to how to protect yourself when using public WiFi!

Hoody App Beta is coming soon. Sign up to be a Hoody Beta tester and get early access to absolute privacy and anonymity online.