How to Remain Secure While Using Public Wi-Fi

We are stuck to our smartphones the whole day, and businesses are taking advantage of this addiction by offering free public Wi-Fi. It is now being offered almost everywhere and has become a way to attract more people to your business. It has worked wonders for owners all around the globe as they have started to get more and more customers, which comes as no surprise. People are addicted to their smartphones and internet, and when they are getting it for free, there is no way they are going to let that opportunity pass.

However, as good as this deal is, it is equally dangerous. Due to public Wi-Fi’s open nature, it is not safe. All of the devices connected to it are in equal danger because if someone is able to hack into the public network, they will be able to sneak into any device that’s connected to it and will be able to install malware. This will not end well for you or your device. The hacker might extract your personal information and ask you a ransom for it, he/she may gain access to your photos and videos and spread them online, or anything else. Once the hacker is hacked in, he/she can practically do anything on your device, which makes public Wi-Fi’s the worst place to be. However, there is no reason to panic as there are some security precautions that you can take to remain secure while using public Wi-Fi.

Use VPNs

VPNs are a great way to counter this problem and the best part is that you don’t even need to invest in one. Most of the VPNs offer their services for free and you can make use of them with ease. FalcoVPN is a pretty good example of a free VPN. It offers you almost all the features you need without asking you for a single penny.

You can visit FalcoVPN official website to get more information on it. The functionality of this and other VPNs is the same. As soon as they are enabled, they switch your server to a new location and hide your IP address in the process. Now that your actual IP address is hidden, there is no way for someone to trace your online activity and that includes the hackers. Even if they have hacked into the network, they won’t be able to do anything because they won’t see you. To them, you are invisible and that’s the whole point of getting a VPN. They hide you from the prying eyes and keep you safe even on a public network.

Disable File Sharing

Whenever you connect to a new network, your computer asks you what kind of connection it is. The three options you are given are Home Network, Work Network, and Public Network. When you connect to a public Wi-Fi, it is important that you select the option of Public Network as it will automatically turn file sharing off. However, if by mistake or lack of awareness, you have selected Home or Work network, then it is advised that you go into the network settings and turn file sharing off manually.

When file sharing is enabled on a network, your computer automatically assumes that you have allowed any file to come into your device. For home or work network, it is a plausible setting. However, when you are on a public network, this setting can mark the end of your device as hackers can sneak in multiple malware without any one there to stop them. So save yourself and your device from all kinds of threats by selecting Public Network or by manually disabling file sharing.

Enable Two-Factor Authentication

Due to several security threats, almost every major internet service has started offering two-factor authorization and we suggest you take advantage of that. With two-factor authorization enabled, you are notified whenever your account is accessed from a new IP, and you are sent a code to authorize your login.

If you are doing it yourself, then you would get the code on your phone number and would be able to continue to your account. However, if someone else manages to sneak into your account, they won’t be able to gain access to it unless they type the authorization code, which only you have access to. This process basically makes the whole account hacking useless. No matter what the hackers do, they won’t have any way to gain access to your account. This is why it is important that you enable two-factor authorization on all of your online services and accounts.