Be careful if you connect to public WiFi

[qurbanshah02]

Why would anyone want to connect to public WiFi 😕
It makes no sense to me.

Data today is something you can get easily from your service provider or bank app, with $1 you are good to go.
There is no reason for anyone to scan for public WiFi anymore.

What am I even saying? With $0.40 in my country I can buy data that will last me for three days, and I will have to waste it away watching TikTok video or downloading a movie to watch later.

We must avoid free public wi-fi specially on gadgets where our financial data like banking apps or crypto wallets are stored. Always buy data package from your mobile service provider according to your budget and if due to some reason you can't use mobile data then stay away from free public wi-fi as much you can. If you are connecting to some free or unknown wi-fi then you are giving hackers an opportunity to hack your system. Just few simple steps can save you from big disasters.     

I have not seen such problems so far but still we should protect ourselves for this if we ever need it then there are some instructions for it which if used it will not affect our important information to a great extent. In today's time everyone needs wifi and even the every person takes wifi from the walking the path which is a common thing but the reason is quite bad so we should mostly keep our own net package from which we can use our own if we ever need convenience. In addition to this if needed we should also install VPN sometimes and it also depends on our iOS how much protection mobile we have in our hands. I am giving some instructions for this here and I have given some very good articles by reading which we can become a protector for ourselves and can also convey it to others.

information

[Asuspawer09]

It was a huge problem because there were mostly a very vulnerable area for a lot of beginners on crypto or even for people in general it doesn't seem to be suspicious at all since it was just a public wifi something like that not realizing the danger and risk of losing your data or how much they can see or do when they already have acces or compromised your devices.

You could easily search this online or demos on youtube how hackers could do and access devices when you already connected voluntarily on there on wifis, The easiest thing to do here is just to not connect on it, if I was on public there are alot of networks out there are I wouldn't be surprise if some of it are bait network where they just open for you to freely connect expecting a free internet connection without realizing that you are the one that is getting hack or worst your device is being controlled which they could easily do once you are connected.

I always have a Data spend a good amount on internet so that there wouldn't be a need to finds wifis especially on public because it wasn't a good practice to connect on public. Especially if your laptop or smartphone devices have a lot of crypto transactions or even banks account connected. Maybe VPN is also a thing that might work, but I don't know a lot about it.

[PrivacyG]

The danger is not only the tracking but also that you may be actually connecting to a false WiFi connection that replicates the legitimate one.  In this case you are actually connecting to a stranger WiFi that acts as a middle man collecting all outgoing and incoming data.  There are other risks too.

Anyway.  If I ever have to use public WiFi, I make sure that only happens on my laptop and that I am on Tails running through Tor.  I would definitely not connect any sensitive information containing device to one.

[maydna]

I don't know how hackers steal your informations through WiFi you're connect. But searching and asking to AI, I found this.



Source in the image:
https://www.groomy-app.com/en/blog/conseils-techniques/how-protect-your-information-public-wifi-networks,111.html
https://www.aura.com/learn/dangers-of-public-wi-fi
https://anonyome.com/knowledge-center/public-wifi/
https://www.quora.com/Can-people-steal-my-info-over-a-public-WiFi-network
etc, you can browse search engine to find out more.

Hackers more ways smarter than us so we can't think what they will do to us if we are in the same public WiFi. Those who want to know more, you can watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-ur0MGYfnY.

[Pikiboy]

Our security is our priority and anyone who ignores their security is actually putting himself in a big messed where they won’t know when they could get trapped or brutforced into their personal information or login details of their mobile banking apps. This is not only limited to their WiFi but also applicable with their Local Area Network (LAN), if you are that type of person that usually go to a cafe’s to use your Personal Computer to connect to an external network then there is a very tendency for your information on your pc to be also stolen that is you should off the visibility and accessibility of the LAN to access your documents or print through such networks.

[sunsilk]

When you connect to a public WiFi, normally the admin can see the device's IP address, MAC address and device name from there, but if someone reads your WiFi setup critically for hacking purposes, then in that case they can monitor your browsing history.

And the best is not to, never connect to public WiFi.

If you're moving from time to time, prepare your own device and need together with the budget. Pocket WiFi's are affordable and it's for your safety so that you alone is the one connected to it.

I don't know how hackers steal your informations through WiFi you're connect. But searching and asking to AI, I found this.

It's already on the screenshot you posted.

The man in the middle attacks, that's most common. While the evil twin are using and spoofing the public WiFi access' name to attract users to connect to it.

From the start, never be used connecting into any of it. Use your phone and sim's data and as I've said, bring pocket wifi always with you.

[m2017]

If you often visiting cafe to hanging around with your friends, you should be careful using public WiFi. We don't know how the cafe set the security for their customers but I heard the cafe can trace their customers activity while connecting to the WiFi.

If you're worried about being tracked via Wi-Fi, use your mobile data. I think everyone with a smartphone now has a mobile data plan (with a high data limit).

By the way, your mobile operator will still be monitoring your activity.

I know this from conversation with my cousin when I meet him few days ago, he told me that many cafe's offers free WiFi to attract customers visiting their place. But some local cafe or public service places use this chance to gets the internet history of their customers, even they can get the log of banking credentials of their customers.

How does your cousin obtain this information? Is he technically knowledgeable (a technical specialist) or was he involved in the processes he describes? Or is this just hearsay?

If you use free WiFi from a cafe or local store or hotel, you should not login to your mobile banking app but if you really need to login to your mobile banking app, make sure you use data connection from your phone to avoids the hacking.

If you have mobile internet on your phone, why use free Wi-Fi? Out of greed?

Your security will be your responsibility so make sure that you can be careful if you connect to public WiFi and don't login to anything personal.

Perhaps it would be better to have 2 smartphones? Many people have older devices that could be used for online banking, crypto wallets, and other sensitive information. In reality, security isn't the cheapest option, and having "everything valuable" on one device creates additional risks (theft, loss, hacking, data leakage).

[Youngrebel]

For those that are into crypto currency this can be very dangerous for them because they can be hacked easily. Funny enough this might not really be done on the same day that the connection was made, the hackers would do that to avoid any suspicion. They can gain access to your vital informations and logins either to your Bank app or whatever you use and they can save these informations for days to months and use them later on.

We should always be security conscious and learn to protect ourselves from scams like this. I was One of those people that did not really believe that it is actually possible to get scammed through this means until I got to know about it, most people today are still ignorant of this.

[Rruchi man]

The danger is not only the tracking but also that you may be actually connecting to a false WiFi connection that replicates the legitimate one.  In this case you are actually connecting to a stranger WiFi that acts as a middle man collecting all outgoing and incoming data. 

Some people may say that they do not connect to public Wi-Fi and they do not connect to the Wi-Fi of strangers; that the only Wi-Fi connections they use are Wi-Fi from their friends, but there are still risks to using Wi-Fi even if it is from a friend who is trusted because if that friend also permits another person to connect to his Wi-Fi at the same time as you are on the connection, you can't say that the other person on the network is not malicious.

Free internet can put you in problems; it's best to subscribe to a home ODU for internet and a personal pocket mifi for when you are mobile. It is not cheap, but it is safe.

[Hamza2424]

To be honest bro, I have used public WiFi several times. I only had to confirm if the WiFi I am connecting to is not some fake WiFi but belongs to the cafe or restaurant. Let's say I visit a restaurant, and most of the time I do this as well. I visit, and after eating I have to pay, and I pay online without using any card, directly from the banking app. And not only me, a lot of people do this. If they don't have internet packages, they ask for WiFi from the restaurant to mainly open the apps you are suggesting not to open haha.

And nothing has ever happened, but it does not mean it is secure. But I believe most of the data is encrypted. They can't see our credentials, and if we use VPNs, then our banking apps might not open due to the IP change. There will be extra steps for verification.

I would worry about fake and real WiFi because malicious actors would mimic legitimate networks and could see our traffic as well as act as a middleman.

[Hyphen(-)]

And nothing has ever happened, but it does not mean it is secure. But I believe most of the data is encrypted. They can't see our credentials, and if we use VPNs, then our banking apps might not open due to the IP change. There will be extra steps for verification.

I would worry about fake and real WiFi because malicious actors would mimic legitimate networks and could see our traffic as well as act as a middleman.

I have also used several WiFis and no experience of data theft yet, but I do have the believe that there can be way scammers can have access to some information about your device but not what is inside the device.

The fear of keyboard malware is what comes to my kid first because the scammers find way to make sure they share their malware so that they can have access to scam your device and start pasting their addresses for you when you want to make transactions which is very bad because most people don’t take note of all these malware’s.

Nevertheless, we still need to be very careful out there and if possible we should avoid using public WiFi when trying to make transaction be it crypto transaction or fiat transaction.

[fullfitlarry]

I have also used several WiFis and no experience of data theft yet, but I do have the believe that there can be way scammers can have access to some information about your device but not what is inside the device.

Maybe there was no hackers around or criminals sniffing from public WIFI that's why they didn't get your data.

Nevertheless, we still need to be very careful out there and if possible we should avoid using public WiFi when trying to make transaction be it crypto transaction or fiat transaction.

Right, even if we are not the victims, then everyone should do their due diligence in using public WIFI. Yes, it's free, even our government here are providing it. But it doesn't mean that it is safe. We still have the duty to protect our mobile phones from this criminals.

[tech30338]

I have also used several WiFis and no experience of data theft yet, but I do have the believe that there can be way scammers can have access to some information about your device but not what is inside the device.

Maybe there was no hackers around or criminals sniffing from public WIFI that's why they didn't get your data.

Nevertheless, we still need to be very careful out there and if possible we should avoid using public WiFi when trying to make transaction be it crypto transaction or fiat transaction.

Right, even if we are not the victims, then everyone should do their due diligence in using public WIFI. Yes, it's free, even our government here are providing it. But it doesn't mean that it is safe. We still have the duty to protect our mobile phones from this criminals.

As far as i know when you have connected to a network you have no idea what they are doing at the back, and the information being gather there is their property, at the same time you don't know if you are connected into a legitimate network because it can be hack, that is why be careful connecting outside on a network free or even into another network, but if you are confident that you are safe then its your call nothing wrong about that, but someone ask me before and tell me that its a free Wi-Fi but they will use it to gather info, I'm not sure what info are they talking about or data but it did not push through.

[TokenTikas]

Your security will be your responsibility so make sure that you can be careful if you connect to public WiFi and don't login to anything personal.

Security depends entirely on ourselves, whether it is public (Wi-Fi) or personal (Wi-Fi), we have to stay careful in every case. Compared to before, nowadays we often see news that many people become victims of scams by using public (Wi-Fi).

But sometimes, in some places because of mobile network problems, it is not possible to use mobile data internet, so we are forced to use (Wi-Fi). At that time possibility of facing loss becomes higher. To stay safe from this kind of situation even if we use that (Wi-Fi), it is better not to log into our personal accounts or wallets with passwords or security phrases.

If we have to log in due to an urgent need then a (VPN) can be used very carefully. But I always try to avoid using my personal accounts in this kind of situation.

[EarnOnVictor]

If you often visiting cafe to hanging around with your friends, you should be careful using public WiFi. We don't know how the cafe set the security for their customers but I heard the cafe can trace their customers activity while connecting to the WiFi.

PS: I am sorry if this is not the right board. Please tell me and I will move it to the right one.

Of course, this should be the right board, though it's a general warning; linking it with the safety and security of our coins would have been more direct.

About the warning, this is not new, actually, but warnings like this never fade because, despite the fact that the newbies on the forum need it, it's also a gentle reminder for many experienced ones. Public Wi-Fi has always posed its security risks, and even if you are safe from the greatest dangers, what about your privacy? The Wi-Fi providers can intercept whatever you are doing, which is bad.

We should always prioritise our privacy and security over the immediate short-term benefits of public internet access, regardless of our desperation. This is one of the reasons I can't use public cords or some special type of sockets; things are not always what they seem these days, as risks are increasing.

[Justbillywitt]

You are right about this and we have discussed about it on this forum often, but your topic about it after a long time ago is also good so that many newbies can learn from it.

When I rent hotel room which is the place I noticed I am being offered free WiFi, I just decline it. I have enough data already and it is a huge amount of data.

You know many people are not aware of this, they see free WiFi as an opportunity to benefit something from the WiFi providers, but they don’t know the danger they are exposing themselves to. I have always been cautious of anything free all my life. Free things have hidden cost.

[LogitechMouse]

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If you use free WiFi from a cafe or local store or hotel, you should not login to your mobile banking app but if you really need to login to your mobile banking app, make sure you use data connection from your phone to avoids the hacking.

Your security will be your responsibility so make sure that you can be careful if you connect to public WiFi and don't login to anything personal.

PS: I am sorry if this is not the right board. Please tell me and I will move it to the right one.

TBH, I often forgets this one and although I'm not the type of person who always goes to a coffee shop or local store and connects to their public WiFi, there are times where we go to a hotel and I connect on their public WiFi. I just don't know if I had logged in to my mobile bank during those times though. I just hope I haven't but so far, there's no anomalies on my bank accounts whatsoever. I guess there are no criminals or hackers that are behind those. I'm lucky so far, but when it comes to malls who have public WiFi, this is the one that we should avoid connecting because we don't know if these malls have the capability to hack or get other people's credentials which I think they could knowing it's a mall.

This is a good reminder for those newbies and ignorant people out there because there might be some out there that are like me who forgets simple things like this, and this simple thing could cause them huge amounts of money. Prioritize security, and always have your own data when you're outside.

[ruykeri]

It not so easy that you will get hacked just by using public wifi. This used to happen a long time ago when you used public wifi at cafes, at that time the security system was not so good. Nowadays, important websites including banking apps are encrypted. This means that the password or OTP of banking apps cannot be understood by anyone in any way. And now the operating systems are also much more secure and improved than before. Even then, ordinary users like us should not use public wifi. And now you don't see anyone doing it. Because everywhere personal internet  is available like the phone's cellular internet is a good enough network. As a result, people do not need to use public networks. Overall, everyone should be careful. Being careful can save you from a lot of loss. And it's better not to use public wifi unless so much necessary.