The use of public wi-fi has become a worldwide phenomenon over the last ten years with establishments offering free wi-fi in exchange for their business and attendance. Moreover, many companies are pushing for their workers to work remotely nowadays, thus increasing the availability and comfort of using free public wi-fi. However, anything deemed free in life will normally come with a cost, free public wi-fi being no exception.
Issues that arise from connecting to a public wi-fi are that users are unaware who set it up and what security features are enabled to protect endpoint devices connected. Most public settings will set up their wi-fi with default settings and not bother to install any security features; whereas the users will simply not care as long as it is free. These pose a multitude of problems that can lead to intruders eavesdropping and/or stealing personal data and credentials.
Simple safe practices can be implemented to ensure some level of security assurance is being used like:
HTTPS over HTTP: Using HTTPS allows users to have a secured, encrypted connection with SSL/TLS while browsing the internet.
Limit File Sharing: Going to the computer’s settings and disabling file sharing or airdropping is encouraged when using a public wi-fi because intruders can steal any data that is open and unsecured.
VPN use: VPNs are the most preferred means of security when using public wi-fi because they provide encryption to data traveling to and from your endpoint device while securely connected to a server, thus making it extremely difficult for anyone to eavesdrop or steal data.