Shop smart online. Connecting to the wrong wireless network can make you just as vulnerable to online scams as shopping on the wrong websites. Public hotspots are convenient but may not be secure, especially when they are free. When you innocently connect to a wrong hotspot, hackers can access your device and watch you surf sites, see the passwords or the credit card information you type in. Invest in a VPN software that will secure your device including phones, allowing you to use public networks safely.
A hotspot is any wireless network you connect to. Public hotspots are the ones we are concerned about. Take for example that you are traveling and while you are waiting at the airport, you need to connect your phone or laptop to the internet to go online. Your device will give you a list of networks available to connect to. The names with a lock icon next to it are secured ones that require a password to connect to. The ones without the lock icons are usually free/open networks. If you innocently connect to a free/open network which is not trusted, your sensitive information stored in your device can be accessed by hackers. The most common places where people tend to connect to these public hotspots are at places like hotels, malls, libraries, airports or cafes.
You can install a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to your device that protects you from hackers. It’s fairly cheap of about $50/year. This software makes your communication to the internet more secure especially when connecting to the public networks.
Please feel free to stop by at our shop or call us with any questions at (561) 880-5678.
