Accessing Public Wi-Fi: A 5 Step Guide To Keeping Your Data Safe

How to Keep Your Data Safe While Using a Public Wi-Fi

(Photo: iStock)

Free Wi-Fi hotspots are tempting.

Free public Wi-Fi is yet to make its full-fledged début in the capital, but there are many public Wi-Fi networks that are available in India presently.

In fact, free access to the internet, is the new marketing tool being employed by restaurants, hotels and entertainment zones to pull in customers. The visitors are not complaining either.

Watch: 5 Steps to Keep Your Data Safe While Using Public Wi-Fi

Though most of these networks are safe, with the necessary firewalls in place, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

When you are connected to a public Wi-Fi, your data is exposed to potential hackers. But don’t worry, we have listed out a few ways for you to enjoy the free online access while guarding your data at the same time.

1. Verify the Connection

Connect to a Wi-Fi network only if you are familiar with one. Ask the manager of the coffee shop, library or the mall that you are at, for the authentic free Wi-FI access. Don’t be tempted by free Wi-Fi hotspots. Authentic hotspots always have a password to connect to them.

2. Don’t Share Files

You don’t want people to intrude in your private life and get all your data. Turn off file sharing mode while connecting to a public Wi-Fi. Windows users must turn off the file sharing mode and mark the Wi-Fi connection as a ‘public network’.

Here is how you do it.
Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change Advanced Sharing Settings.

3. Use VPN (Virtual Private Network)

A VPN or Virtual private network helps you encrypt traffic between your device and the VPN server.

In simple terms, this will make a hackers life a little difficult while he tries to steal your data. If you don’t have a VPN yet, you can get it online through many website services like, SecurityKISS. These sites give you VPN data access and help you encrypt your data and keep it safe while accessing public Wi-Fi hotspots.

4. ‘HTTPS’

While you are connected to a public network and are browsing through the internet, always check the address bar of the website that you are on. Before that ‘www’, look out for ‘https://’. Along with that a lock logo should also appear on your browser.

Many unsecured websites have ‘http://’ written before the name of the website. If you are on browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Firefox for Android, and Opera; the ‘https’ setting should be a default on the address bar of the websites.

5. Forget The Network After use

After you have accessed the pubic Wi-Fi, always log off any accounts that you were logged in to while you were on that network. Make sure you clear out all cache on you browser.

This is very important because if you you frequently visit that place a potential hacker might not attack your data at that time, but may make an attempt later.

Make sure you follow these steps every time you connect to a public Wi-Fi network.

Finally, try to never use a public Wi-Fi for banking or credit card transactions. You are most vulnerable to a preying hacker as soon as you start banking on a public Wi-Fi network. It is always safe to do financial transactions on your mobile network or your secured Wi-Fi at home or office.