This is a layman’s explanation of the dangers of using publicly available Wi-Fi to connect to the internet.
The Kenya Government recently launched public Wi-Fi spots in the city that can be accessed anytime by anybody that has a smartphone.
While launching the City Market Wi-Fi hot spot, the ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo noted that the free public WiFi will be strong enough to handle transactions within the market and a circumference of a few metres around it.
“This free public WiFi will offer traders a conducive environment for e-commerce to thrive,” Owalo assured the traders when he toured City Market.
There are plans to build a 100,000-kilometer internet highway and more free Wi-Fi will be provided in more places
However, as in all free things, there’s an unspoken danger in this.
The biggest threat to free Wi-Fi security is the ability for the hacker to position himself between you and the connection point. So instead of talking directly with the hotspot, you’re sending your information to the hacker, who then relays it on. (Kaspersky Antivirus lab says).
To protect oneself,
First, don’t use free public Wi-Fi.
Buy your data bundles or sign up to a trusted Wi-Fi
Secondly, Keep Wi-Fi Off When You Don’t Need It.
Even if you haven’t actively connected to a network, the Wi-Fi hardware in your computer is still transmitting data between any network within range. There are security measures in place to prevent this minor communication from compromising you, but not all wireless routers are the same, and hackers can be a pretty smart bunch. If you’re just using your computer to work on a Word or Excel document, keep your Wi-Fi off. As a bonus, you’ll also experience a much longer battery life.
READ: What Are the 4 Biggest Dangers of Using Public Wi-Fi Networks?
Ultimately, I wrote the short article and worded it for ‘dummies’ because I didn’t want to put any IT jargon.
One more thing, Kenya has seen an uptick in cyber crimes where people lose entire savings from banks or even MPESA wallets.
Using free public Wi-Fi is one of the surest ways to lose your data and money.
Find more resources on the topic by clicking the links in the article.