Wi-Fi users are at risk from hackers, but
fortunately there are safeguards against them. The recent explosion of free,
public Wi-Fi has been an enormous boon for working professionals. Since these
free access points are available at restaurants, hotels, airports, bookstores,
and even random retail outlets, you are rarely more than a short trip away from
access to your network, and your work. This freedom comes at a price, though,
and few truly understand the public Wi-Fi risks associated with these
connections. Learning how to protect yourself will ensure your important
business data remains safe.
The same features that make free Wi-Fi
hotspots desirable for consumers make them desirable for hackers; namely, that
it requires no authentication to establish a network connection. This creates
an amazing opportunity for the hacker to get unfettered access to unsecured
devices on the same network.
The biggest threat to free Wi-Fi security is
the ability for the hacker to position himself between you and the connection
point. So instead of talking directly with the hotspot, you're sending your
information to the hacker, who then relays it on.
While working in this setup, the hacker has
access to every piece of information you're sending out on the Internet:
important emails, credit card information and even security credentials to your
business network. Once the hacker has that information, he can — at his leisure
— access your systems as if he were you.
Hackers can also use an unsecured Wi-Fi
connection to distribute malware. If you allow file-sharing across a network,
the hacker can easily plant infected software on your computer. Some ingenious
hackers have even managed to hack the connection point itself, causing a pop-up
window to appear during the connection process offering an upgrade to a piece
of popular software. Clicking the window installs the malware.
As mobile Wi-Fi becomes increasingly common,
you can expect Internet security issues and public Wi-Fi risks to grow over
time. But this doesn't mean you have to stay away from free Wi-Fi and tether
yourself to a desk again. The vast majority of hackers are simply going after
easy targets, and taking a few precautions should keep your information safe.
A virtual private network (VPN) connection is
a must when connecting to your business through an unsecured connection, like a
Wi-Fi hotspot. Even if a hacker manages to position himself in the middle of
your connection, the data here will be strongly encrypted. Since most hackers
are after an easy target, they'll likely discard stolen information rather than
put it through a lengthy decryption process.
You aren't likely to have a VPN available for
general Internet browsing, but you can still add a layer of encryption to your
communication. Enable the "Always Use HTTPS" option on websites that
you visit frequently, or that require you to enter some kind of credentials.
Remember that hackers understand how people reuse passwords, so your username
and password for some random forum may be the same as it is for your bank or
corporate network, and sending these credentials in an unencrypted manner could
open the door to a smart hacker. Most websites that require an account or credentials
have the "HTTPS" option somewhere in their settings.
When connecting to the Internet at a public
place, you're unlikely to want to share anything. You can turn off sharing from
the system preferences or Control Panel, depending on your OS, or let Windows
turn it off for you by choosing the "Public" option the first time
you connect to a new, unsecured network.
Even if you haven't actively connected to a
network, the Wi-Fi hardware in your computer is still transmitting data between
any network within range. There are security measures in place to prevent this
minor communication from compromising you, but not all wireless routers are the
same, and hackers can be a pretty smart bunch. If you're just using your
computer to work on a Word or Excel document, keep your Wi-Fi off. As a bonus,
you'll also experience a much longer battery life.
Even individuals who take all the possible
public Wi-Fi security precautions are going to run across issues from time to
time. It's just a fact of life in this interconnected age. That's why it's
imperative to keep a robust Internet security solution installed and running on
your machine. These solutions can constantly run a malware scan on your files,
and will always scan new files as they are downloaded. The top consumer
security software will also offer business protection solutions, so you can
protect yourself while you're out and about, and your servers back at the
office, all at the same time.
Throughout any business traveller's life,
there's going to come a time when an unsecured, free, public Wi-Fi hotspot is
the only connection available, and your work simply has to get done right then.
Understanding public Wi-Fi risks will ensure your important business data
doesn't become just another hacking statistic.
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