Wi-Fi hotspots have become increasingly common in public places such as coffee shops, libraries, and retail stores. Patrons of these networks have consistently been warned about potential safety threats and urged to use cellular data when possible. Is this advice still relevant in 2024, though?
Wi-Fi Security Gets An Upgrade
In the past, the majority of public and home Wi-Fi networks were open to anyone in range of the signal for an easy connection. As society has become more internet-savvy, though, many public places have chosen to protect their networks.
With a closed Wi-Fi network, your information is encrypted as it travels between your device, the Internet Service Provider (ISP), and the websites and apps you visit. For this reason, closed networks require you to log in the first time you connect, making it easier to regulate who can use the network.
The Federal Trade Commission, more commonly known as the FTC, also notes that more websites have their own encryption protocols in place than before. This makes your connection a tad bit safer, even on an unsecured public Wi-Fi network.
Cellular Data is Still More Secure
Despite Wi-Fi’s updated encryption protocols, public Wi-Fi still leaves your information more vulnerable than cellular data. This is primarily because of how many people have access to a public Wi-Fi network. Even when secured, public Wi-Fi network passwords are often as simple as the business’s name or another closely related detail, making them nearly as vulnerable as open networks.
In contrast, there is no open cellular data network option, and updates are automatically pushed to your device. When using mobile data, you, therefore, don’t have to worry about signing in or checking what type of security protocol is being used. Even your mobile hotspot connection will be more secure than a public Wi-Fi connection, provided you have a strong password in place.
Protect Yourself On Public Wi-Fi
There may be times when you do need to connect to a public Wi-Fi network, though. In those instances, there are steps you can take to protect your information online. First and foremost, be sure to connect to a password-protected network whenever possible.
As an added layer of protection, you can use a VPN or encrypt your device. This way, even on the off chance that a hacker-in-training is looking to attack someone through a public network randomly, your information is harder to get to.
Finally, the most important, age-old advice we can give is to avoid using public Wi-Fi networks to access sensitive data such as banking information. Along the same lines, it’s also important to avoid reusing login information. Otherwise, you could end up giving a hacker your social security account credentials while signing in to a rewards account.
Even secure public Wi-Fi networks are more vulnerable than a mobile data connection, and you don’t want to become the next victim of a cyberattack.
