Benefits & Security of Wifi in Public Spaces

It's likely that you've used a public Wi-Fi hotspot whether you work remotely, travel regularly, or simply enjoy staying connected wherever you go. Airports, eateries, coffee shops, libraries, public transportation, hotel rooms—you name it—they're almost everywhere. It's really simple to use these free Wi-Fi hotspots to check emails, keep up on work, and access online accounts while on the go. However, these networks include flaws that could expose you to hackers.

Go through this in-depth guide to find out more about public Wi-Fi, its dangers, and safe usage practices.

Benefits of Public Wi-Fi Hotspots

• Free: The majority of public WiFi networks are free. As a result, you'll save a lot of money on data rates and be able to complete all of your internet-related duties on the go on your individual mobile devices at a reasonable speed.
• Public WiFi promotes productivity: Anything that encourages movement is beneficial to productivity. To encourage client mobility, public WiFI is frequently offered in significant business locations such as airports, malls, cafes, and train stations. From the perspective of enterprises, this is critical because their staff will be able to work on their tasks while on the go, as long as they have a device to connect to the public WiFi network.
• Useful for emergencies on the go: You can't foretell when an emergency will strike. It can happen anywhere, at any moment, and without warning. In an emergency, public WiFi works wonders and can provide a slew of benefits to help you regain control of the situation.
• Benefits the Students Access Internet: The fact that the majority of public WiFi services are free was already mentioned above. As a result, students who are travelling on a restricted budget can really profit from it.

What are the security risks of using public Wi-Fi?

The issue with public Wi-Fi is that these networks come with an enormous amount of risks. Although business owners might think they're offering their clients a worthwhile service, it's likely that public Wi-Fi has little to no security. Read on to find out more about the security dangers associated with public Wi-Fi.

Attacks by a man in the middle

A man-in-the-middle (MITM) assault is one of the most frequent dangers on these networks. An MITM attack is essentially an eavesdropping technique. Data is transferred from point A (a device) to point B (a service or website) when a computer connects to the internet. Vulnerabilities can let an attacker get in the way of these transmissions and "read" the data. What you formerly considered to be private is no longer so.

Networks without encryption

The data that is transferred between your device and the Wi-Fi router while utilising an encrypted network is encoded with a "secret code." As a result, without a key, no one can view the data. Encryption is typically turned off by default on Wi-Fi routers and needs to be turned on during network setup. It is significantly simpler for a scammer to intercept your online traffic and utilise it for malicious purposes like MITM attacks if you connect to an unencrypted network. It's possible that the public Wi-Fi network you wish to use is encrypted, but there's no way of knowing for sure.

Spread of malware

Attackers can potentially infiltrate malware onto your computer without your knowledge due to software weaknesses. A software vulnerability is a flaw or security opening in an operating system or piece of software. By creating code to specifically target a vulnerability and then injecting malware into your device, hackers can take advantage of this hole.

Snooping and sniffing on WiFi

Spying and sniffing via WiFi is precisely what it sounds like. Cybercriminals can purchase specialised software kits and even hardware to aid in their ability to intercept Wi-Fi signals. With this method, hackers could be able to see everything you do online.

Hotspots for malicious activity

Because the name sounds credible, malicious hotspots, often referred to as rogue access points, deceive users into joining what they believe to be a genuine network. Rather, you've simply established a connection with a malicious hotspot that fraudsters have put up, giving them access to your personal data.

How to Stay Secure While Using Wi-Fi in Public Spaces

You may be asking how to utilise a public network securely now that you are aware of the potential security dangers associated with public Wi-Fi. There is always a certain amount of risk, but you can guard against the risks associated with using public Wi-Fi. Learn how to avoid getting into trouble when using public WiFi by following along.

Steer clear of sensitive information

Accessing sensitive information on a public Wi-Fi network should be avoided at all costs. You can probably do it if you need to go online to look up instructions or for less delicate purposes. But it could be wiser to wait if you're trying to make a purchase or pay your expenses.

Deploy a VPN

Using a virtual private network (VPN) is an excellent approach to reduce the security hazards associated with public Wi-Fi. You can access a private network, or VPN tunnel, via which you can transmit and receive data while utilising public Wi-Fi by using a VPN. This gives your connection an additional degree of security. Although some VPNs are free, the finest security features usually require a payment. To guarantee the security of your data, purchase a VPN from a reputable vendor.

"HTTPS" websites

When using public Wi-Fi, only visit websites with an SSL certificate. If a website's URL starts with "HTTPS," it has an SSL certificate. "HTTPS"-prefixed website addresses are encrypted, providing an additional degree of protection.

Make use of browser add-ons

Installing an extension like HTTPS Everywhere* can make all websites you visit require a "HTTPS" connection. The Electronic Frontier Foundation and The Tor Project collaborated to create this Firefox, Chrome, and Opera plugin. It is less likely that you will land on a dangerous website if you use this extension.

Use connection settings

Make sure your devices' wifi settings prevent them from connecting to open public hotspots automatically. To prevent your devices from connecting automatically and looking for recognized Wi-Fi networks, you can disable the "Connect Automatically" feature on them.

Employ a privacy shield

Put a privacy screen on your gadgets if you must view sensitive data in public places. By darkening your screen for all users except yourself, a privacy screen prevents identity thieves from taking screenshots or copies of any of your private data.

Disable file sharing

Make sure that before using public Wi-Fi, you disable file sharing. If you continue to share files, anyone connected to the same public network may be able to view your folders, giving a hacker access to your personal data without your consent.

Utilise antiviral protection

Another excellent method to keep yourself safe when utilising public Wi-Fi is to use antivirus software. You can use public Wi-Fi networks with confidence knowing that you are safe from cybersecurity dangers like computer viruses and spyware if you have antivirus software installed.

Two-factor authentication

Cybersnoopers potentially obtain your passwords if you use public Wi-Fi. Enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) on any services that support it is one approach to improve your security. When turned on, this guarantees that someone won't be able to access your accounts even if they manage to get their hands on your password when you're using free public WiFi. Typically, you'll get a second login step that you need to use to access your account. It could be a code on your smartphone or a call.

Maintain an updated operating system

Updating your operating system (OS) is critical. Important security patches that might further shield your device from Wi-Fi attacks are frequently included in OS upgrades.

ACT Fibernet Public Hotspots

ACT Fibernet has become one of the most popular broadband service providers in the country, and it is also one of the few operators in the space which is offering speeds of up to 1 Gbps. ACT Fibernet has announced a partnership with the city governments to deploy Wi-Fi hotspots across cities.

With these projects, the public will be able to seamlessly connect to the internet for free using the Wi-Fi hotspots. Many users will be able to log-in at one time to these Wi-Fi zones to experience high-speed internet for free from ACT Fibernet. Users will be able to use the internet for 45 minutes with the speed of 25 Mbps to upload and download files, browse online, watch videos, visit social media handles and more. Below table summarises the speeds that users can expect.

ACT Fibernet has hundreds of Wi-Fi hotspots in Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad that users can leverage to enjoy connectivity on the go. Major benefits of Wi-Fi hotspots are:

1. High speed and reliable internet: WiFi hotspot provides users with high-speed wireless connectivity. Unlike WiFi hotspots, adverse weather conditions can interrupt internet connection in cellular broadband.

2. Affordable: Installing WiFi hotspots is quite inexpensive for businesses or hotels because only a few routers and other installation equipment are required. Installing WiFi hotspots does not require running wires or sophisticated wiring.

3. Connectivity to multiple devices: In terms of coverage, WiFi hotspot offers a wide variety of choices. If you are inside the range of a WiFi hotspot, you can connect your mobile, laptop, and computer to the web. So, you can access the internet from anywhere.

4. Good coverage: Using a WiFi hotspot, consumers may connect several devices to the internet at once including laptops, desktops, and smartphones. To connect a gadget to the internet, you simply have to enter a username and password.

How to Login to the ACT Fibernet Public Hotspots:

You can follow the below steps to connect to the public Wi-Fi hotspots and enjoy Wi-Fi connectivity.

1. Users will be connected to ACT Fibernet WiFi SSID at the respective hotspot locations.

2. Users will be prompted for their mobile number (Name and email are optional)

3. We will send an SMS to the mobile number.

4. If the mobile number registered with us, will be logged in as an existing customer

5. Else, will be logged in as a guest customer (45 minutes validity)

The Bottom Line

Maintain Your Safety at Home, in Public, and Online Internet security doesn't have to constantly compromise convenience for safety. Using public hotspots is still possible despite the risks of malware and Wi-Fi hacking, provided that you have all-in-one protection that looks after all the devices and data in your digital environment.

Consider using ACT Fibernet public hotspots with your ACT credentials to stay safe online and avoid scammers, hackers, and Wi-Fi snoopers.