What The Tech: Keeping your info safe on free public wifi
BY JAMEY TUCKER, Consumer Tech Reporter
We don’t even think about it anymore. We walk into a coffee shop, hotel, airport, or restaurant, see a free WiFi network, and tap connect.
For the most part, public WiFi is safer than it used to be. Most websites and apps now use encryption, which makes it harder for someone nearby to see what you’re doing. But that doesn’t mean public WiFi is risk-free.
A recent Forbes survey found 40 percent of travelers say their online security has been compromised while using public WiFi. So yes, the threat is real.
The biggest danger is connecting to the wrong network.
Hackers can create fake WiFi networks with names that sound official, such as “Free Airport WiFi,” “Hotel Guest WiFi,” or “Coffee Shop WiFi.” If you connect to one of those fake networks, you could be giving someone nearby a way to track what you’re doing online or trick you into entering personal information.
Before you log on, make sure the network is legitimate.
In an airport, hotel, or restaurant, don’t guess. Ask an employee for the correct WiFi name, check posted signs, or look on the business’s official website.
Also, look for secure networks. If a network is protected, your device should say so. If there are no secure networks available, use your phone’s cellular connection instead. You can turn on your personal hotspot, or for an even safer connection, plug your phone into your laptop and use it through a cable.
Public WiFi is probably fine for basic browsing, checking the weather, reading news, or scrolling social media. But avoid using it for anything sensitive. Don’t log in to your bank, credit card account, medical portal, or any account that contains private information while connected to public WiFi.
If you are browsing online, look for “https” or the lock icon near the address bar. That means the connection between your device and that website is encrypted. Just remember, the lock icon does not always mean the site itself is safe. Scammers can create encrypted fake websites, too.
Be especially careful with pop-ups. If you connect to public WiFi and suddenly see a message telling you to download software, update your browser, install security protection, or enter personal information, don’t do it. That could be a fake page designed to steal information or install malware.
Another smart step: when you’re done using public WiFi, forget the network. Otherwise, your phone or laptop may automatically reconnect the next time it sees a network with the same name. If a scammer creates a fake network using that same name, your device may join before you even realize it.
And if you travel often or regularly use WiFi in hotels, airports, or coffee shops, consider using a VPN. A virtual private network helps encrypt your internet traffic and makes it harder for someone on the same network to snoop on what you’re doing.
Public WiFi can be convenient, and in many cases, it is fine for everyday use. But it is still worth slowing down before you connect. A good rule of thumb: if you wouldn’t say it out loud in a crowded airport, don’t send it over public WiFi.
