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Reasons Why You Need to Use a VPN to Surf on Public Wi-Fi

by on September 27, 2021
 

We have all used public Wi-Fi for checking our emails or social media due to its convenience.

Most of the time, you don’t even have to enter a password as these Wi-Fi are mostly open networks. Hence, public Wi-Fi is often unsecured and poses security and privacy risks.

This is where a VPN comes in. If you must use public Wi-Fi, you need to take precautionary measures to protect your device.

A virtual private network (VPN) is the most effective and common privacy measure to help you safely access public Wi-Fi. VPNs encrypt your data to protect you from cybercriminals.

There are plenty of options available in the market ranging from free to paid VPN services. If you are new to VPNs, you can try out ProtonVPN to safely access public Wi-Fi as it offers a free and premium plan, perfect for beginners. ProtonVPN is safe to use. And is trusted by many users around the world. 

Why do you need to use a VPN on Public Wi-Fi?

Before we move on to how VPNs protect your online security on public Wi-Fi, here are a few major reasons why you must use a VPN while accessing public Wi-Fi:

1. Public Wi-Fis are vulnerable/ unprotected 

You can mostly find public Wi-Fis in places such as airports, coffee shops, shopping malls, and parks. These are super convenient as you don’t even have to enter a password to connect, and you get access to free internet. 

However, these are open networks and are not secured with protocols. Unlike a home Wi-Fi, public networks are unencrypted, meaning it is easy for an average hacker to manipulate and access the network. 

Hence, the devices you connect to on public Wi-Fi are vulnerable and can be compromised. Similarly, the data sent over public Wi-Fi can be stolen as it is un-encrypted. 

According to a report from Coronet that analyzed data from America’s 45 busiest airports, the majority of the public Wi-Fi hotspots posed a major risk to the passenger’s devices and information.

2. Public Wi-Fi is an easy target for hackers 

Public W-Fi hotspots are a famous target for hackers to gain access to private information. One infamous attack, Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack, occurs when a cybercriminal intercepts data that is being exchanged between your device and the public server. 

Another common technique used by hackers to compromise security on public Wi-Fi is creating fake hotspots (aka Wi-Fi Honeypots)

Hackers create fake Wi-Fi hotspots with reputable names such as Starbucks, Hotel Belair Wi-Fi, etc., and when you log into the network, your information can be stolen by the hacker. 

That is why it is not recommended to access sensitive information and apps on public Wi-Fi such as banking apps, email accounts, and more. 

When you are using public Wi-Fi, here is some of the information that may be at risk:

  • Your location.
  • Browsing activity (websites you visit online).
  • Personal information such as emails, messages, images. 
  • Files sent over the internet.
  • Your passwords and usernames.
  • Login credentials of banking apps, websites, social media, and more. 

How a VPN offers security on Public Wi-Fi 

Although the risks associated with public Wi-Fi are disturbing, you can take your security into your own hands by using a VPN, especially if you cannot avoid using public Wi-Fi. Whenever you connect to public Wi-Fi, make sure to use a VPN

A VPN protects your data by passing it through an encrypted VPN tunnel. For example, ProtonVPN uses 256-bit AES encryption for data protection which is the best in the industry right now and unhackable. 

This way, no hacker, ISP, or third party can snoop or see the information you send over public Wi-Fi. Therefore, with a VPN, you can ensure online security and privacy. 

When you connect to a VPN server before accessing public Wi-Fi, it masks your real IP address and gives you a new virtual IP address. This way, it grants you online anonymity, and no one can track your online activities, websites you visit, browsing activity, and such. 

With a VPN, you also get additional security features such as a kill switch that terminates your internet in case the VPN connection drops. You also get IP and DNS leak protection for added security and online anonymity. 

Here are some other tips to increase privacy on public Wi-Fi:

  1. Always open HTTPS websites as they are more secure than HTTP.
  2. Use two-factor authentication for securing your accounts.
  3. Turn off the auto-connect option for Wi-Fi networks.
  4. Keep your Wi-Fi off when you are not using it.

 

Wrapping Up!

If you are a frequent traveler and cannot avoid public Wi-Fi, using a VPN is the best and quickest way to ensure data protection on these unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots.

A VPN makes you anonymous online so no one can track your online activity and compromise important information on public Wi-Fi. 

The earlier you understand the risks associated with public Wi-Fi, the sooner you can take steps to avoid potential identity theft and cybercrimes.