Guides
- Common NFT Scams to Look Out For & Ways to Avoid the Fake Ones
- What to Do If You Witness a Crime?
- What Is Skip Tracing and How Does It Work?
- Common Venmo Scams to Look Out For and How to Avoid Them
- Can You Get Child Custody If You Have a Criminal Record?
- Common Amazon Scams and Ways on How to Avoid Them
- How to Find Liens on a Property?
- Multiple Bankruptcies: How Often You Can File One?
- How to Adopt a Child in the US?
- I Lost My Birth Certificate. What Should I Do?
- Warning Signs of Job Scams and How to Protect Yourself
- What Is a Ban the Box Law?
- What is Expungement?
- How to Transfer Property After Death Without Will
- What Is a Police Blotter?
- How to Appeal a Parking Ticket
- What Is a Clean Driving Record?
- What is Title Washing?
- What is Extortion?
- How To Run a Motorcycle Title Search
- What Is a Digital Footprint?
- What is Anti Money Laundering (AML)?
- Guide on How to Get a Death Certificate
- What is the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)?
- What is Multi Factor Authentication?
- What is a Citizen's Arrest?
- How to Know that You’re in an Obsessive Relationship
- Guide to Online Survey Scams
- 13 Different Types of Police Officers
- Full Guide on Work-from-Home Scams
- Is Private Browsing Really Private?
- Different Types of Felony Classes & Charges
- What is Juice Jacking?
- What are Romance Scams?
- Traffic Offenses and Violations
- What is Doxing and How to Prevent it?
- What are Spam Text Messages
- The U.S. Death Penalty: History and Modern Usage
- A Guide to Different Types of Bankruptcies
- Common eBay Scams to be Aware of
- What Happens When You are Booked in Jail?
- What Information Can You Get From A License Plate
- Different Types of Assets
- 8 Tips to Help You Find Family Members
- Car History Guide, Benefits, Importance
- Am I Dating a Stalker?
- How to Find out if Your Partner is Cheating
- What Is A Packet Sniffing Attack
- Intellectual Property Law and Rights
- Cyberstalking And Its Dangers
- A Guide to Phishing Scams
- What is Organized Crime?
- I’ve Lost My Driver’s License: What Should I Do?
- Misdemeanor Charges: Types, Classes, and Penalties
- A Complete Guide On Catfishing
- Vanity Phone Numbers: A Complete Guide
- What Happens When You Get Arrested
- Guide to Find Information About a Person Online
- How To Find And Claim Unclaimed Money
- What Happens if You Violate Probation
- Guide on How to Remove a Mugshot from the Internet
- How to Stay Safe on Public WiFi
- How to Deal with an Outstanding Warrant
- Different Types of Car Insurance
- What Is Cyptojacking?
- What Is Email Security?
- What Is the Deep Web and What Can Be Found There?
- What Happens When You Declare Bankruptcy
- How Divorce Settlements are Calculated
- What are Common Methods of Social Engineering
- What is the Difference Between a General Lien and a Specific Lien?
- How to Detect Odometer Rollback
- Different Types of Probation
- Finding forgotten life insurance policies
- What is Bearer Bond and Why the US Banned it
- Everything you need to know about small claims court
- Moral Turpitude: Definition, Examples, and Much More!
- Misdemeanor vs Felony
- How To Read VIN Number
- How to Find Out Who Hacked Your Cell Phone
- How Long Does a Misdemeanor Stay On Your Criminal Record?
- The Paypal Phishing Scam You Should Care to Avoid
- License Plates Types: USA Guide
- Effects of Cyberbullying: Complete Guide for Parents
- What is the DPPA?
- Petty Theft: Definition and Consequences
- What is a Life Sentence?
- How to Find Out if Someone Has a Warrant?
- Marriage License vs Certificate: Everything You Need to Know
- The Ten Most Popular Celebrity Mugshots
- How to Find Out if Someone is Married?
- How to Stop Phone Spoofing?
- How To Avoid Probate
- Dealing with abandoned vehicles in your neighborhood
- How to Find Someone's Cell Phone Number by Their Name
- Who Are the Worst Drivers in America?
- How To Find Unclaimed Money From Deceased Relatives
- What is a Digital License Plate?
- How to Find out if Someone Died?
- Murder vs Manslaughter: The Differences and Definitions
- How to Hire a Private Investigator?
- What Is a Number Neighbor?
- How to Find Out if Someone was Arrested
- How to Find Someone's Birthday?
- What is a Car Title
- How to Obtain a Police Report and Court Records?
- Filing a false police report
- Prison Valley: Look inside Prison Town
- How to Get Custody of a Child Without Going to Court?
- How to Find Someone’s Social Media Profiles?
- What to Do if Your Phone Is Tapped?
- What Is a Deed in Real Estate?
- Where Was The First US Federal Penitentiary Established?
- How to Find Someone's Location Using Their Cell Phone Number?
- What Is a Restricted Call?
- Who is the Most Dangerous Prisoner in the World?
- Poshmark Scams: How to Prevent and Report Them
- How to Find a Missing Person?
- How to Send Money to a Federal Inmate?
- DUI vs DWI: What're The Differences
- How Long After Buying a Car Do You Need to Register it?
- How to Find out Where Someone Lives?
- What Happens If You Get Caught Driving a Car Without Interlock
- Situational Crime Prevention: Theory, Techniques and Examples
- How Can I Find Out Who Called Me for Free?
- Gun Free Zone Statistics and Facts
- Online Threats and Digital Security: Trends, Types and Most Common Examples
- Cold Cases: Best Practices For Police Officers and Investigators
- Court Order: Definition, Types and Examples
- What Does a Fingerprint Background Report Show?
- How to Check Your Criminal Record?
- What is Tort Law?
- How to Calculate Child Support
- Property Rights: Definition, and Characteristics
- 12 Common Reasons for Public Records Request
- What is Antitrust Law?
- Virginia Gun Confiscation Law
- How Do You Find Out Who Own a Property?
- Neighborhood Watch Program
- How to Perform a Mugshot Search?
- Crime Mapping
- Safest Colleges in Florida
- Veterans Guide to Cars and Driving
- U.S. Correctional System: Structure, Incarceration and Facts
- License Plate Laws in the US
- How to Locate Inmates and Access Jail Records?
- Email Hacking: Laws, Penalties and Protection
- Romeo and Juliet Laws
- Holiday Safety for Home and Family
- Differences between Criminal and Arrest Records
- Public Records and Property History: What is Public Information and What Isn’t
- How to Look up Immigration Inmates?
- Famous Prisons in the USA
- How to Find Out Who Owns a Vehicle Using Reverse Lookup Tools
- How to Search for Your Family Tree?
- The Federal Judicial Center
- Mass Incarceration in the USA
- What is COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act)?
- Data Safety After The Capital One Breach
- Scholarships Guide for Students
- Complete Guide to Student Safety
- What Is a Vehicle Identification Number?
- Determining Divorce: 5 Types of Divorce You Must Know
- Sex Offenders: Complete Guide to be Protected
- New Privacy Laws and Public Records
- Motor Vehicle Registration in the US
- Digital Token Age: Security Laws and Regulations
- Facial Recognition Technology and Legal Restrictions
- What Shows up in a Background Report
- Car Repossession Laws: Dealing with Car Dealers and Auto Fraud
- How to Protect Yourself from Phone Scams
- Human Rights in the Prison
- What are Business Competition Laws?
- What is a Hate Crime?
- Starting a Business and Business Licenses
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Guidance
- Criminal Justice Reform
- Tax Reform Impact and Changes To Know
- Self-Driving Cars: Laws and Regulations
- White-Collar Crime: Statistics and Facts
- Have You Been Arrested? Cases You'll Need a Lawyer
- How to Get a Driver's License in the US
- Car Theft in the US: Prevention and Facts
- Identity Theft Passport Program
- Changing your Name after Marriage: What You Need to Know
- Finding the Perfect Roommate: Dos and Donts
- What if You Get Into a Car Accident? A Complete Checklist
- Property Crimes: How to Burglar Proof Your Home
- Consumer Laws in the US: What Do They Mean for a Customer and a Business Owner
- Child Trafficking: The Scope, Understanding, and Prevention
- Business Assets: A Guide to the Financial Health of your Business
- Guide To The College Application: How, When and Where to Apply
- Which States Have “Stand Your Ground” Laws?
- Adolescent Depression Symptoms and Causes
- Things to Know About the U.S. State Department Travel Advisory System
- Inheritance in the US: With & Without a Will
- Online Dating Safety Guide for Men and Women
- Sexual Abuse in the U.S.: Laws and Statistics
- Supporting Children After Divorce: Child Custody Options
- Halloween Horrors Come to Life: Holidays Crimes in the U.S.
- Charity Scams in the U.S.: Be Aware and Protected
- Webcam Hacking & Spying in the US
- Sex Offender Search
- Freedom of Religion in the U.S.
- Senior Financial Scams: How are the Elderly Targeted and How to Avoid It
- Catcalling: Is it illegal? How to Deal With It
- A Complete Guide To Insurance Fraud: Common Types and Prevention
- Sextortion: What to Do if You Became a Victim of Blackmailing
- Concealed Carry: How to Protect Yourself on Campus
- Debt Collection Laws | Fair Debt Collection Act: What You Need To Know
- How Much Is My House Worth? Ultimate Guide to Home Buying and Selling
- What are the Traits of a Sociopath?
- Do You Know Who Your Neighbors Are?
- Learn How to Find Your Birth Parents
- The Importance of Public Records in Law
- Do You Know What's the Difference Between Jail and Prison?
- Homeowner’s Insurance, Is it a Public Record?
- The Disturbing Facts of Gun Violence in America
- How to Use Public Records in Marketing
- Best & Worst Cities for Driving
- LGBT Bullying
- What You Need to Know When Buying or Selling a Used Car?
- School Safety and Security Standards
- Making Your DMV Experience Fast And Easy
- How to Prepare For an Active Shooter Incident
- How to Report a Crime?
- How to Protect Yourself Against Cyber Attacks
- 50 Things to Know When Filing for Divorce
- What to Do When You Are Stopped By the Police
- Tips for Back-to-School Safety and Security
- Guide to Filing for Bankruptcy
- How to Appeal the Court's Decision
- A User's Guide to Warrants
- How to Fight a Traffic Ticket?
- Keeping Your Neighborhood Safe For Your Family
- A Parent's Guide to Keeping Your Child Drug-Free
How to Stay Safe on Public Wifi
Wifi seems to be available everywhere, a wonderful opportunity for those who work remotely – or who attempt to stay in touch with social media consistently. Major internet providers are seeking to extend a network of coverage across cities and in neighborhoods by piggybacking on existing customers. Yet warnings about vulnerability of public networks should not be dismissed, even by those with a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that protects their data. Despite advancements in security, dangers may still lurk.
Dangers of Connecting to Public Wifi
Many of the dangers of connecting to unprotected public wifi networks have been quelled due to the availability of encryption on individual apps and browsers, but users should be vigilant as these protections aren’t universally provided.
If you experience an uptick in the number of spam emails or phishing emails (those that use the spoofed address of a trusted business or associate in an attempt to get you to click a link or divulge a password or PIN) then stay clear of that wifi network in the future. Using reverse email lookup tools can help to identify dangerous emails, and along with ensuring your system updates are current and you’re using a good antivirus software, the following information will help you identify safe networks.
Hackers take many forms. Depending on one’s browser or the app you’re using on a public wifi system there still may be dangers of:
- Packet sniffing, which is the process of monitoring traffic (“packets”) on networks; hackers may be able to exploit weaknesses in some networks to search for the presence of sensitive information.
- Man in the middle attacks are small-scale attacks that prey upon those using free public wifi that is unencrypted; hackers may monitor open wifi network users to identify victims and break into their communications or devices via wifi, scooping up sensitive data that can be used to hack into other accounts.
- No encryption. Encryption sends messages, including passwords, in coded language to evade hacking. Experts warn that many phone apps lack encryption and it can be challenging to determine how safe they are. Always check the URL of the web page you visit to ensure it has the padlock symbol and starts with HTTPS://. These indicate higher security and encryption. Lack of encryption combined with public wifi networks is a recipe for disaster, because without these factors your private information is on display to those with malicious intentions.
- Malware gets a red carpet welcome on free public wifi. Malware is nefarious code that can damage one’s hard drive, steal sensitive information, and spread unchecked through the victim’s contact list. It is to be avoided at all costs, including completely avoiding unprotected wifi networks. Malware may be inserted into a person’s device through many means including clickbait, unauthorized downloads, advertisements, and fake social media interactions.
- Session hijacking is a method of stealing your account information that is made easier by open wifi networks. When you log on to a personal account, the host network generates a “session cookie” to track the transaction. On an open wifi network a hacker can grab the session cookie and continue the transaction, including draining your account or gaining access to personal information that can be used to hack into other accounts as well.
How to Avoid These Dangers
Practice good wifi hygiene to avoid the dangers of hacking via public networks. Always check the security of a network before logging in, then keep these tips in mind:
- Don't share your device when connecting. Make sure that your device cannot be discovered by others on the network. This is generally a step in logging on to a network.
- Authenticate the network you're connecting to. Check for the network’s security level. WPA means it’s protected but WPA2 is a higher level of security.
- Use VPN. A virtual private network (VPN) is an added level of security that masks your network address and usually provides encryption by routing your browsing activity through remote servers. Some browsers have built-in VPN security, including Chrome while others may subscribe to add-on VPN services. Unfortunately some websites do not interact with VPN-encrypted communication, requiring the user to disable the service to do necessary tasks.
- Multi factor authentication increases the security of your online communication by blocking unauthorized users. This security is generally at the log-in level, requiring an authentication key. Be sure to find out if the multi-factor authentication extends to the services used during your session. For instance, Gmail, the most-used email application, can be used via VPN but its internal security is notoriously lax for the general user, including selling user’s private data. Gsuite users with certain qualifications (with education or business accounts) are eligible for higher security. Some add-on services for encrypting messages are compatible with Gmail but many require the recipient of the message to use the same add-on to decrypt the information. Gmail may be encrypted on iPhones by activating S/MIME within the privacy settings options.
- SSL connection refers to Secure Socket Layer, a type of website security most often associated with consumer transactions. Web domains (the platform that the website is built on) often include SSL certificates as part of a package when websites are developed, so they are run-of-the-mill encryption, but better than nothing. It’s possible to check a site’s SSL certificate before transacting business in order to protect oneself. Moreover, a legit site should buy SSL certificate and install it on the server if the website package doesn't offer it so users can differentiate between a fake and a genuine site. A secured site can impress visitors and ensures that their credentials are safe on the site.
Conclusion
Internet security is not one-size-fits-all, it’s a system that each of us must educate ourselves about in order to proceed with due caution.