7 dangers of using public wi-fi

Broadband Wi-Fi access is great and necessary for our modern lifestyle, but it’s not as harmless as it sounds. Most people are unaware of the dangers of using public Wi-Fi. Some of the risks they are taking in accidentally through sharing private, important or sensitive information, which can pose a serious problem to a savvy hacker. .

If you want to stay safe when using public Wi-Fi, you need to be aware of the potential risks.

Here are some of the dangers of using public wi-fi

1. Theft of personal information

One of the worst and most common threats involves the theft of personal information.

Personal information comes in different forms:

• Login credentials
• Financial information
• Personal data
• Photo

If a hacker gains access to your computer or other devices through a compromised public Wi-Fi connection, they can gain free access to anything stored. For example, they can get your login credentials and log into your bank or credit card website.

Once the hackers get your details, they can access your personal page and destroy your money and reputation. If they don’t get full access to your computer data, they can still block messages sent over the Internet.

2. Encrypted links

When you connect to a website that supports encryption, the exchanged data is encrypted using a secure key. If someone encrypts this data without a key, they can’t read it – the data will look like unreadable computer code. However, not all websites offer encryption.

Unencrypted connections allow hackers to monitor file sharing and traffic sent between the user and the server through a public Wi-Fi network.

A sophisticated attacker can connect with network users to the router of an unsecured network and inject malicious JavaScript into their devices.

You can tell this by the HTTP prefix given before the domain name. If it starts with HTTPS, it’s an encrypted site. If the web address contains only HTTP, it is not encrypted.

When you are connected to a public Wi-Fi network, anyone near your computer can block anything from being sent or received. If you connect to an encrypted website, everything will be read.

3. Malicious network (man-in-the-middle attack)

A rogue network or access point is essentially a “back door” installed on the network’s wireless infrastructure without the knowledge or consent of the administrator.

This type of security breach, which some call a “man-in-the-middle attack”, presents itself as a legitimate Wi-Fi connection to trick users into accessing it. For example, let’s say you’re staying at a SleepTight hotel for the night.

The hotel offers its guests free Wi-Fi, so you can turn on your laptop, turn on the Wi-Fi and see the network called “SleepTyte”.

If you’re not careful enough, you might miss a few words.

In fact, the SleepTyte network is actually a person in a room under the hall with an access point designed to attract unexpected guests.

When you connect to it, the internet works as expected, so you don’t have to think twice. But in reality, everything you do on this link goes through the hacker’s computer.

These “man in the middle” can access all your logins, passwords and everything you do while on that Wi-Fi connection.

4. Malware distribution

One of the threats you will face on public Wi-Fi is the installation of malicious software – also known as malware – on users’ devices. This is an umbrella term for all code and software written to compromise devices or information encryption.

Malware comes in different forms:

• Virus
• In the corner
• trojans
• Ransomware
• adware

Malware has the ability to wreak havoc on the devices it affects. Hackers can transmit public Wi-Fi, which penetrates the devices connected to it.

If someone on a public WiFi network has bad intentions, they can plant malware on your computer if it’s not properly secured.

A suspicious Wi-Fi provider can use the hotspot itself to infect your computer with one or more threats. It can be as simple as using a Wi-Fi network to keep an ad on every website you visit. The website itself does not display ads, but the Wi-Fi service may overlay them on other websites.

In this case, the ads will usually disappear as soon as you disconnect from Wi-Fi and return to your home or office connection.

In the worst case, they can install malware on your personal device that continues with all connections.

5. Cyberattacks against businesses

Business travelers and others who are on the road all day can connect to public Wi-Fi to check email, download files, view customer information, and perform many other tasks that require a network connection. Many companies have security measures in place to reduce the risk of connecting to Wi-Fi, but if you or your colleagues need to connect to some kind of security device to access the company network, using public connections is dangerous. life always. .

For example, you never know what Wi-Fi providers may be tracking. Most social media links are free, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have value. A Wi-Fi provider can track everything you do on a Wi-Fi connection and sell your data to advertisers. A good way to think about it is that if you don’t pay to use a service, someone else might be paying for data about their users. And you can’t think that you are connecting to the correct Wi-Fi service, which brings us to the next threat.

6. Packet sniffer (network spy or eavesdropping)

Anyone connected to the same Wi-Fi network can listen to what is being sent and received using an application called a packet sniffer or packet sniffer.

These devices provide the ability to check everything that is transmitted on the Wi-Fi network, as long as it is not encrypted.

These tools are not bad. Like most tools, you can use them for good or bad.

Packet sniffers allow network administrators to troubleshoot connectivity and other performance issues in wireless (virtual) networks.

On the other hand, they also allow hackers to intercept other users’ information and steal anything valuable, whether it’s credit card information, passwords, or passwords. ‘many other (bad) details.

7. Time management

Public Wi-Fi networks open the door to so-called timeouts, which are exploits of legitimate web browsing sessions.

In this case, the attacker intercepts information about your computer and its connection to other websites or services. Once the attacker gets this information, they can configure their own computer to match yours and block the connection. For example, hackers can steal your login information from your bank’s website when you log in.

From the banking side of the login, it will look like your computer and since you are already logged in, the attacker will have access to everything in your account.

Last Word

Go to any cafe during the week and you will see customers writing on laptops at many tables.

Many entrepreneurs, students and entrepreneurs consider these places as second homes.

The staff at these cafes will ask you, “What’s your Wi-Fi password?” is one of the most frequently asked questions they receive every day.

Hotel staff often have the same experience.

It’s understandable that the convenience of using public Wi-Fi is sometimes difficult to deliver.

Like a two-sided coin, a free hot spot can have both positive and negative effects.

However, the dangers of using public Wi-Fi should make you think twice before using them, even for any kind of sensitive information. Make sure you are not included.