The Most Persistent Public Wi-Fi Attacks (and how to beat them)

Don’t let free Wi-Fi come with its own costs…

The availability and convenience of free public Wi-Fi has attracted almost everyone with a phone or laptop to connect, collaborate, network, and share details online without any regards to security.

According to Statista, nearly 60% of people log into their personal email using public Wi-Fi, while 25% prefer accessing their work email. Surprisingly, 25% of them are fine using hotspots to view their financial information.

Along with being easily accessible, public Wi-Fi hotspots are also vulnerable, allowing cyber-attackers to prey on the data transmitted over the network. So, it is crucial to guard your confidential assets online from being compromised.

Here’re some of the attacks carried out by hackers, and the ways to evade them:

1. Network Decoys

Network decoys, as the name suggests, is when the networks are mimicked to fool the users into believing the network is authentic. This allows the bad guys to sneak into your activities and compromise your privacy.

You can stay safe from network decoying by:

• Using a decoy networking management system that acts as a hacker for the hacker
• Using only verified networks in authorised and trustworthy places.

2. Man-in-the-middle attacks [MITM]

This is one of the most prominent attacks on Public Wi-Fi that has hit one out of every five users. “Man-in-the-middle attacks” intercept the data packets while they travel from the victim to the Wi-Fi hotspot. It could be said that the hacker is eavesdropping on your activities.

To protect yourself from MITM:

• Consider using a VPN such as NordVPN or ExpressVPN
• Ensure HTTPS – with the S – is always in the address bar
• Opt for two-step authentication for an extra security layer

3. Screen peeking

Isn’t it annoying when a stranger next to you is peeking at your screen? Yes, some may do it for fun – but not everyone! Sometimes, strangers can pick up your details while sitting next to you and simply looking at your screen! According to TechRepublic, 82% of Americans believe that someone might be able to get their personal information by just looking at their screen – and the concern is real. Screen peeking is a threat to your information!

Here’s how you can evade screen peeking:

• Avoid using the internet in a crowded place
• Use fingerprint authentication and avoid actually typing your password in public places.

These days, there are more personal details online than your birthdate on Facebook! It’s important to stay updated with the latest networking and security trends, and to take the best possible steps to minimise the risks of hackability. Are you cautious with public Wi-Fi?