Do you know the basic cybersecurity rules everyone should follow in order to protect their private data?
We suppose most of you who are not in this industry have never thought about data protection and privacy online. Some people consider it to be a government-level issue. But the truth is that even your government can monitor your Internet activity. Thus, this is not a problem your country should take care of but you as a person. Only you are responsible for how protected your smartphone, laptop, or tablet is. Today, we’re going to address public WiFi connections in order to understand how to solve the main cybersecurity issue we have. We’re going to talk about a VPN specifically as the most universal and reachable tool for data protection. So, if you’re new to VPNs in general, have a look to get detailed information and a variety of different VPNs that you can choose from.
So, let’s get started.
VPNs and Public WiFi Hotspots
What does a connection to a public WiFi mean? Imagine you’re sitting in the airport, drinking coffee in a cafe, or just waiting for someone in a hotel lobby. You notice, that there is a free WiFi signal there, get a password, and connect to the network. And that is when the problems begin. As you’re not alone on that public network. Everyone browsing their smartphones or laptops nearby is probably connected too. What does it mean? Your or someone else’s information can be easily grabbed from that network. It can be anything you’re doing at the moment:
- Social media communication;
- Email typing;
- Or bank manipulations.
This information can be stolen just in a minute if you don’t have any software or service to protect it quickly. In our case, it is a VPN. Why a VPN? It is the fastest and the easiest way to get secure with that kind of information you have. To find, download, and install a VPN service takes up to 30 minutes or even faster. You can easily do it before going somewhere with public WiFi if you haven’t done it yet.
Some people think that having a password prevents a public WiFi signal from being dangerous for data privacy. But having a password means nothing when it comes to public networks. As it is a shared space that provides different people with the same rights, making them equal. So, any information there can be viewed.
For Windows users, we can recommend choosing a public network option when it pops up whenever you connect to any unprotected signal. Or do it directly in your network settings to provide an extra layer of protection for the device.
The one thing you have to remember is that public WiFi is a public place shared by everyone who is in the network at the moment. So, always take measures for your personal data security as in any other public space you go to.
