Skip to content
Sponsored Content

Don’t put your personal and private data at risk for the sake of free WiFi

Admit it, what’s one of the first things you do when you arrive in a public space? You pull out your smart phone, or another device, and search for the available WiFi sources.
PureVPN

Admit it, what’s one of the first things you do when you arrive in a public space?

You pull out your smart phone, or another device, and search for the available WiFi sources.

Who can blame you? We all want to stay in touch, look up information, or want to be entertained while you endure whatever lineup you’re mired in.

But stop and think for a second. Do you really trust that WiFi provider you’re allowing to hook up with you?

In fact, the majority of Canadians put their personal data at risk when they connect to a public WiFi service.

Alarmingly, 54 per cent of Canadians also don’t even know the difference between secure and unsecure wireless networks.

And another 64 per cent of Canadian Internet users don’t feel threatened about the privacy of their personal information on public WiFi.

PureVPN, a provider of Virtual Private Network, wants you to guard against having your private and personal information accessed and potentially misused when you join a public WiFi service.

Sure, some say they offer robust security measures. But cybercriminals can exploit public WiFi networks in several ways.

Rogue Access Points

As the name suggests, these access points are usually created by hackers and snoopers to catch unsuspecting users. These access points are usually malicious and allow hackers to compromise connected devices with ease.

MITM (Men in the Middle)Attacks

The name says it all as the hacker intercepts a wireless connection through different tactics. Once the breach has been made, the attack allows hackers to not only monitor the network traffic but also divert the traffic to malicious sites.

Evil Twins

Have you ever noticed at a café, restaurant, or a mall that your device shows two WiFis having similar names? This is what you call the Evil Twins. Cybercriminals create malicious hotspots under the disguise of a known network. Once users are connected to such hotspots, cybercriminals cannot only see your data but also steal it.

WiFi Password Cracking Tools

These tools allow just about anyone to crack WiFi passwords with great ease.

So, how can you protect yourself?

•     Never open online bank accounts or shop from the Internet when you are connected to a public network or hotspot.

•     Browse only those web services that are behind HTTPS protection. These websites encrypt every data or traffic request.

•     Use trusted virtual private network services, like PureVPN, that offer robust encryption, optimal data authentication practices, and security protocols. PureVPN has received high ratings and positive reviews on many renowned platforms such as CNET, Trustpilot, etc. for its reliability and wide range of features.

•     Try your best not to connect to free networks. Instead, try to use your data plan, which is much more protected than free hotspots.

For more information on how a VPN can help make your Internet usage better and more secure, visit purevpn.com.