It's the second part on the Wifi topic. In the first part, we talked about some things we needed to know about Wifi connection and hotspots while in this part we will be talking about how to be safe when connecting to public and private networks
The internet and the world are full of hackers who are ready to destroy or hack people, also they sniff networks to gain information about systems and people that's why we need to know how to be safe from them
Connecting to a public network or some private networks can be risky sometimes because not all public or private networks are safe and secured
I will be giving you some tips on how to stay safe while connecting to public and private wifi networks
i. Know whether the Wifi network is secure or unsecured Did you just join the network directly without it prompting for a password, and always understand why the network is free for the public? There might be a hacker trying to use the unsecured public wifi for a MITM attack, a MITM means Man In the Middle attack.
ii. Keep sensitive information safe If you’re using a public Wi-Fi network, then it’s a good idea to avoid engaging in things like internet banking, online shopping, or any other activity that might expose financial data.
It’s not a good idea by filling out a web form with your bank account details, credit card information, or social security number while connected to a public Wi-Fi network.
If there’s a compelling need to transfer funds or take advantage of a flash sale, the prudent approach is to turn on your mobile data for this specific transaction. It’ll only take a few minutes and will keep your information secure.
iii. Turn off sharing It can be convenient to share files from your computer to someone else's over Wi-Fi, without having to send an email or other sort of message.
This feature is great for networks you trust but should be avoided when connected to public Wi-Fi.
You can turn off sharing in your computer's settings, under "Network and Sharing" for PCs
Additionally, many computers will ask if you want to "trust" a new network when you first join it. You should only ever agree to trust home networks that you're certain are secure.
iv. Use a VPN Short for Virtual Private Network, a VPN encrypts all the internet traffic going to and from your device. This effectively secures open wifi connections and makes it far more difficult for people to look at or steal your data. If you're using third-party VPNs, you should only use VPNs provided by reputable service providers.
v. Stick to secure websites If the website you're on has HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) at the beginning, you could be leaving yourself open to cyber-attacks and information thieves — it means your connection is not encrypted. Encrypted, safe connections will have HTTPS at the beginning, not just HTTP.
Popular sites like Facebook and Gmail use the HTTPS protocol as it significantly reduces the chances of your private data being exposed.
To identify an HTTPS-secured site, just look for the padlock icon in the browser next to your website address. Not all sites have this option, so don’t assume your browsing is encrypted by default.