How to
keep your online information secure when using public Wi-Fi
Connecting to public Wi-Fi is tempting for
many reasons, especially if you need to check information on the run and want
to limit your data usage, or if you want to work from a coffee shop as a change
of scenery. Safeguarding your personal information from theft while using
public Wi-Fi is always risky, but there are steps you can take to protect
yourself and your information from any prying eyes. The most obvious way to
protect your personal information is by trying to use different passwords and
login names on all the different sites where you save any personal data.
However, there are a few other ways to help you secure your information when
you log in to a public Wi-Fi network to access any personal information.
Up-To-Date
Operating System
Making sure your computer’s operating system and browser are the most
recent version available is a good way to ensure that defenses to known
security breaches are the most current. Security patches and updates are issued
regularly, so try to update your browser and your operating system
frequently to protect your online information from
cyber attacks. You can set your browser and operating system to update
automatically in the settings or system preference sections which relieves you
from having to remember, or from having to choose when to update them.
Use
sites with HTTPS or SSL connections
Using sites that are hosted on an HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure), which
supports an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) connection, can provide
extra security while you use public Wi-Fi. You will notice a green lock icon
appear in the URL bar of the browser you are using, which indicates that the
interactions between the site and your browser are encrypted and secured over
an unsecured network, such as public Wi-Fi. This extra layer of protection is
one more step you can take to ensure that your online information is being kept
secure while you browse on public Wi-Fi.
Forget
the network and turn off Wi-Fi when not in use
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