Even if you’re the most relaxed iPhone user, the one place where you should always keep privacy and protection in mind is when you are accessing WiFi in a public space. Whenever possible, it’s a good idea to avoid using public WiFi for your own security — we spoke to experts about the scary reason you should never charge your iPhone in a public outlet. And if you just so happen to have to charge your iPhone at the airport or a restaurant, read on for tips on how to keep yourself better protected against cyberattacks.
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Using public WiFi often means you are sharing unsecured and unencrypted data, leaving your sensitive data such as credit card numbers, passwords, and personal information vulnerable to theft, says Lara Fuentes, operator of Infinity Dish.
“One way to protect yourself is to avoid logging into sites that require a password while using public WiFi,” Fuentes says. “If you need to log into password protected sites, use a VPN or virtual private network to make your connection secure.”
There are a few reasons why it’s important to use a VPN service.
“One of the scariest things that people tend to not think about is the possibility of MITM (Man-in-the-Middle) attack,” says Chris Prasad at JookSMS. “This is when an encrypted or unsecured WiFi is being used and allows the hacker to access any information that passes between the websites you visit; such as account logins and purchase transactions.”
Another risk of using public WiFi is connecting to a rouge hotspot, according to Prasad. “This is a ‘fake’ hotspot mocking the name of any big company nearby,” Prasad says.
If you happen to connect to a fake hotspot, Prasad explains that a hacker “can then intercept data and use tools to inject malware into the devices connected to the hotspot.”
Prasad reiterates that the best way to make sure that your information is not being leaked if you absolutely must connect to public WiFi is by using a virtual private network (VPN) to secure your connection. “It is important that if not using a VPN, you are not logging into password-protected websites that can contain sensitive information,” Prasad says.
