It is not uncommon for retailers to offer free Wi-Fi for their customers. For example, just a few months ago, Starbucks began offering free (with no registration required) unlimited Wi-Fi at all of its locations. Offering this service to customers makes sense because they increasingly expect it to be there. In fact, a recent survey conducted by the Wi-Fi Alliance found that millennials (people ages 17 to 29) find it hard to maintain relationships without access to Wi-Fi. If a place of business doesn’t provide wireless access, than young people will probably go elsewhere. So, free Wi-Fi is something that people, especially young ones, place a high premium.
However, using free Wi-Fi access points does carry an element of risk. Unlike your home network, you have no control over a free wireless network. Therefore, your over-the-air transmissions are susceptible to snooping by another network user or even the service provider. The good news is that you can take a few steps to maintain your Wi-Fi safety.
Verify the SSID
The
SSID (Service Set Identifier) defines the wireless network. Confirm with the Service Provider the SSID of their Wi-Fi network. It is relatively easy for a hacker to set up a fake hotspot near a Starbucks called, “Starbucks Super Free Wi-Fi”. By confirming the name of the service provider’s SSID, you avoid connecting to fake hotspots.
Turn off Sharing
Users often enable sharing so that they can share music, videos, pictures, and files across their home network. This is not something you should do on a public Wi-Fi network. Turn off file and printer sharing and disable network discovery if you’re using Windows or enable stealth mode if you’re on a Mac.
Use a Firewall
Windows and Mac laptops both come with built in firewalls. This protects your machine from those who might scan your computer for vulnerabilities. Make sure you enable the firewall before you connect to a free Wi-Fi hot spot. On a Windows laptop navigate to Control Panel –> System and Security –> Windows Firewall. On a Mac check System Preferences –> Security –> Firewall.
Check for SSL
Most websites that contain sensitive information (e.g., banks, brokerages, etc.) use
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to encrypt the communication between their web servers and your web browser. However, you’ll want to visually make sure that the URL has “
https://” instead of the unsecure “
http://” at the beginning of the address. The former means that SSL is enabled while the latter means that no encryption is being used. Without SSL, anyone monitoring the access point’s traffic can see what you’re sending and receiving over the network.
Use a VPN
Many companies use VPN (Virtual Private Networks) to provide secure connections to their corporate networks for their employees. If your company offers VPN, then use it when you’re accessing secure company sites on a public Wi-Fi network. You can also set up your own VPN to your home network by using free tools like
Hamachi or
Hotspot Shield.
While these steps won’t guarantee your safety on a free Wi-Fi network, they will go a long way toward protecting your computer. Following them will persuade most hackers to move on to an easier target.
