Free WiFi !!! What’s the catch ?
Free WiFi Internet connections are increasingly popular and can be found in hotels, cafes and airports around the world. But it’s not always as good as it seems . Some of today’s ‘free lunches’ come with a serious downside.
When searching for WiFi networks sitting in a cafe or library, you might get a list of available free WiFi networks. It is not necessary that the fake Wifi will always appear on your laptop. But if they do, one thing you will notice for sure is that they are AD-Hoc type networks. What this means is that they are not really WiFi access points but other computers which have been deliberately named ‘Free Public WiFi’ to tempt the users into connecting.
What harm can happen, if you do join such networks ?
There can be many harms. Some of which are:-
- If the malicious user has internet access , he/she can allow you to get online and then sniff the traffic your computer is sending. This can be your confidential information like your mail account passwords or even sensitive information like your bank account details.
- If the malicious user does not have access to internet, he/she could try to hack your computer by using various network-level exploits.
How to identify such fake WiFi connections.
Look out for details such as :-
- Enticing name like ‘Free Wifi’ or ‘Free Internet’ being used for the connection instead of the corporation name or identity
- AD-Hoc type connection being used rather than an access point
- If in doubt, contact the authorities of the place, where you are trying to access internet
How to stay safe?
Some useful tips are :-
- Use a VPN link over any public WiFi internet access link to dial back home
- Try to use TLS, SSL or encrypted IMAP e-mail connections to read your e-mails
- Beware of fake SSL certificates
- Use a firewall and a Internet Security manager while using internet
If you know of more tips or possible dangers involved in using public WiFi, please do leave them in comments
