Public Wi-Fi is very practical for enjoying an Internet connection from a computer or smartphone without eating into your telephone plan. But they pose risks to the security of your personal data.
Airports, train stations, hotels, restaurants, bars, various shops, shopping centers, performance halls… many places of passage now offer a free Wi-Fi network. A very practical service offered since it avoids everyone having to dip into the data envelope included in the 4G/5G mobile plans of telecom operators to stay connected to the Internet. Simply connect to it through a smartphone or computer to continue receiving emails or surfing the Web without worrying about the time spent or the volume of data exchanged. However, while this proliferation of public Wi-Fi networks makes life easier for users, it also arouses great interest among hackers.
Indeed, these Wi-Fi networks are rarely well protected. And often, it is not even necessary to provide a password to connect to it, access remains open to everyone by simply selecting the name of the network from the list, just to facilitate the procedure. A boon for hackers who can intercept all communications passing between connected devices and the relay point. It is therefore easy for them to access the information you enter on your computer or mobile such as usernames and passwords, bank card data, emails, etc. Worse, taking advantage of this jungle of freely accessible Wi-Fi networks, hackers can create fake Wi-Fi access points. They give them names similar to those of nearby businesses and which ring true. By connecting to it, you open the doors of your device wide, allowing the hacker not only to intercept all the data that enters and leaves the PC or smartphone but also to install, why not, malware. Charming program.
Public Wi-Fi networks: mistakes to avoid
Please note: not all public Wi-Fi networks are sieves. Some are well protected and require, for example, registration to provide Internet access. However, hackers never lack imagination and ingenuity to deceive users. Also, if you want to continue using public Wi-Fi networks, here are best practices to avoid serious inconveniences.
Do not visit sensitive sites
Do you want to connect to your bank’s website to make a transfer or view your account statement? It is strongly recommended not to perform these operations when the device you are using is connected to a public Wi-Fi network. Login information is highly confidential. If you absolutely must connect, prefer to switch, for the duration of the operation, to a 4G/5G connection from your mobile (or connection sharing from the latter if you are using a computer). This precaution also applies if you need to connect to any other sensitive website such as that of your company, for example to telework. Connecting to business servers to drop off or retrieve files from a public Wi-Fi network poses a major risk to the confidentiality of documents in transit.
Do not connect to unsecured sites
This practice is already not recommended when you surf at home on your own Wi-Fi network, it is even less so when you use a public Wi-Fi network. If the site you are visiting does not have HTTPS at the beginning of its address, it is because it does not benefit from any encryption. All the data you bring onto the device and that which leaves it can be intercepted by any hacker without the slightest difficulty.
Avoid shopping online
In the waiting room of an airport or train station, just to pass the time, are you taking advantage of the available Wi-Fi network to do some online shopping? Bad idea. If the network is not reliable, in other words if it was set up by a hacker, the latter may be able to intercept your data, particularly that concerning your means of payment. However, nothing stops you from window shopping, putting your favorite items in your basket but paying for them later, when the Internet connection is 100% safe and reliable.
Disable file sharing
This is a very practical function that we often activate at home on the computer to facilitate the exchange of files between the different machines present on the personal network. This option presents a real danger when the device is connected to a public Wi-Fi network, leaving a possible entry point for a possible hacker. Enable Public Network options in Windows or simply disable file sharing to avoid any risk of intrusion.
If you connect to public Wi-Fi networks very frequently, the safest thing is to equip yourself with VPN (virtual private network) software on both your smartphone and your computer. These tools, marketed as a subscription, allow you to encrypt all data that passes between your device, the Wi-Fi access point and beyond on the Web. Thus, if a hacker were to intercept the communication, it would be impossible to decipher any information.