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Benefits and risks of public networks: step by step to connect to Wi-Fi safely

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2025 7:03 am
by monira444
The Internet is a tool that we frequently use in our daily lives for many things: studying, working, staying in touch with other people, shopping online... Its daily use means that when we are not at home, we connect to public WiFi , often unaware of the dangers that it can bring.

What do we mean by Public WiFi and where do we usually connect?
Public WiFi is a network that allows us to connect to the Internet quickly, easily and completely free of charge from different places: hospitals, airports, libraries, etc. This umbrella includes networks that do not require a password to connect, as well as those that request a series of data (usually name and email) to connect to the Internet, and also those with a password that many people connect to on a daily basis, such as the WiFi network in a café.

Why can it be dangerous to connect to an open Wi-Fi network?
Why do we say that connecting to an open network can lead to a number of dangers? Because these are networks that we do not control, we do not know what is being transmitted through them or who else is connected. In addition, they often have an inadequate or even non-existent security protocol , which means that data travels without being properly encrypted.

In the case of networks that request data in order to access cameroon whatsapp data the Internet, the danger lies in the fact that this information (name, email, etc.) is sold to advertising agencies in different countries or on the dark web market for large sums of money. In fact, cybercrimes of this type have skyrocketed in the last year .

In the worst case scenario, cybercriminals can use these networks to access their victims' devices and data by means of bait. To do this, they create a network similar to the public one so that they doubt and connect to it, believing that they are connecting to the official network of the establishment in question.

Potential risks of connecting to an open network
Below we will list some of the risks involved in connecting to these types of networks and providing personal data:

The most common and frequent one is data theft. On open networks, without a password, the administrator or any other user connected to the same network can read our data if they have the necessary knowledge. Be careful! Because, in addition to data, conversations or information about the people we talk to can also be leaked.
Identity theft can also be achieved by creating fake profiles on the Internet or by carrying out social engineering attacks. One of the most recent attacks is Vishing , a voice theft that aims to steal personal or banking information and credentials from the user in question in order to commit fraud. However, the most common way is through infection: the cybercriminal infects our device with a virus to steal the information they need.
The “ Man in the middle ” technique or “man-in-the-middle attack”. The cybercriminal places himself between the user’s device and the server with which he communicates in order to intercept the information.
How to connect to an open Wi-Fi network safely?
To prevent our data from ending up in unwanted places, the most effective way is not to connect to any open network or public WiFi or to do things like reading newspapers or checking the weather, which do not require much personal information.

However, sometimes you need to get online. That's why we've put together a little guide with guidelines on how to safely connect to open Wi-Fi networks .