Public Wi-Fi Safety: Tips & Best Practices

Most people love the convenience of going online at the local coffee shop, the airport or the hotel lobby; but most people don’t know that going on the Internet in those places (called “hotspots”) isn’t as secure as you might think—or as safe as you need it to be. The reason? A public Wi-Fi/wireless connection is designed to provide an easy way for anyone in the immediate area who wants to go online to do so. To make that happen, the security measures are a lot lower. In a lot of places you don’t need a password; at other places, there might be a password, but just about anyone can get it. What’s a hotspot? A hotspot is any location where a wireless network (also called Wi-Fi) provides Internet access to the public—places like airports, hotels and coffee shops. Hotspots have grown in number, and grown more important, as more people have shifted to laptops and smartphones. The answer is yes, and no. If you’re online in a coffee shop, surfing away without much concern about security, you’re safe if everyone else online there is a nice person and just enjoying free Internet but no free wifi security . (And quite honestly, that could often be the case.) But that all changes for the worse if there’s just one person logged into that same wireless network who is 1) savvy about network security (or the lack of it) and 2) actively preying on people who don’t know their information is up for grabs. It’s not personal; it’s simply fun and games for them. Make no mistake about it: there ARE a lot people who think it’s okay to intrude on your privacy and see what you’re doing online. Some snoops do it with computer technology; others will actually (and quietly) video your computer usage with their smartphone! Here’s what it comes down to: if there’s a Wi-Fi snooper nearby, most anything you do online can be seen and captured by his or her computer. Your Google searches, your usernames, your private emails… it’s all out there for the taking. Even seemingly secure actions, like a WiFi changing IP address , won’t fully protect you if your connection lacks proper encryption. So, if you sit down at the wrong place and at the wrong time, you might be telling your secrets to the nice-looking young man (or lady) next to you. With your personal information and privacy at risk, here are some tips for what you should and shouldn’t do when you’re online at a public hotspot. If you don’t want to limit your online activity but still want to be extra safe, looking into a Virtual Private Network or VPN. By downloading VPN software, you will be protected from hackers even if you’re online at an unsecured hotspot. You’ll pay a small fee for the service, but the protection and peace of mind will likely be worth it. In case you’re wondering about the IP address you are using at a hotspot, it’s whatever the IP address is for that wireless network… and everyone using that particular Wi-Fi is sharing the same IP address. Next time you’re at a hotspot, visit WhatIsMyIPAddress.com to see the IP address you’re actually using.