Cafeterias, malls, bars and many other such places offer to its customers free internet access. So most of these customers carrying laptops, smartphones or tablets, use the offered free Wi-Fi network to check their mailboxes, chat, surf, even work online connected to their office's network ignoring the enormous security risks provided.
Just to be informed, Wi-Fi free access networks are usually the favorite place for malicious users, who would try to use all their available tools and techniques in order to obtain confidential data, credentials, files, personal information and anything else they are willing to get from your PC.
We suggest to keep in mind the following 6 practices when connecting to your e-banking account or while writing your genius business plan at the local cafe:
You thing you are secured?
Think of Wi-Fi hot spots as the most unsecured connections. You may find yourself sitting next to a hacker while trying to pay your bills! It is very easy for a malicious user to steal data from your PC even the whole hard-disc.
Be encrypted
More and more sites use HTTPS protocol in order to encrypt the activity of their users. So any actions made on that site are confidential. Always look for a padlock in the address bar, or simply check the URL for HTTPS.
Use the security tools
Nowadays all the operating systems have built-in security features that you should take advantage of, if you are not using other security software. Enable your firewall through security settings and check off "Block all incoming traffic." By enabling this setting you will keep most of the malicious users out of your system. Disabling file sharing is also an important security measure.
Password protection
Malicious users are able to retrieve saved passwords from your Registry or install keyloggers, which make your keyboard activity available to them (including passwords you type in). You could easily install something like LastPass, a browser add-on that stores your passwords in the cloud. By using something like this, you'll never have to type a thing and passwords won't be saved on your computer.
Be aware of the name
Fake network names are very common. Hackers create false networks by using attractive names to lure the victim in. Always ask the employees of the cafeteria to confirm the name of their network.
Be smart
There is only one rule if you cannot remember all of the above. All open networks are dangerous. Of course this is not true but if you thing like this you will be able to avoid serious problems.
So the next time you will use a free Wi-Fi hotspot, you should think about it twice.
Information Security Services - Wireless Penetration Test
