FBI Warning – Avoid Using Free Wi-Fi During Your Travel

Avoid Using Free Wi-Fi During Your Travel - hackers can load malware can load malware, steal your passwords and PINs

Here is a warning from the FBI that people should avoid using free Wi-Fi networks but phone’s mobile data connection while they are traveling. FBI suggested that “Don’t allow your phone, computer, tablet, or other devices to auto-connect to a free wireless network while you are away from home. This is an open invitation for bad actors to access your device. They then can load malware, steal your passwords and PINs, or even take remote control of your contacts and camera.”

This advice is the one FBI thinks should be emphasized during this holiday season as a lot of people would like to travel in vacation. Even though it is impossible to travel around the world without using any Wi-Fi networks at all, users should not use public, free, or untrusted Wi-Fi connection while doing some sensitive operations such as logging in online banking. Hackers can obtain your user ID and password through intercepting the traffic on public Wi-Fi networks. Connecting to an HTTPS site may help on encrypting the traffic though, it is not always guaranteed. Encrypted HTTPS traffic can still be intercepted if the attacker controls the Wi-Fi router or access point.

While traveling to somewhere have untrusted Wi-Fi networks, it is better to use the phone’s mobile data connection. Not only your phone, but also your laptop can connect to the mobile hotspot created under your phone mobile data plan. In this case, you can maximumly avoid the usage of those untrusted Wi-Fi connections. Do not get trapped by these free Wi-Fi networks because what you will lose if you get attacked may be much larger than what you save from not using the mobile data plan. In addition, FBI also recommends that a separate Wi-Fi for guests in your home or company is necessary.

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Credits:
zdnet.com/article/fbi-warns-against-using-free-wifi-networks-while-traveling/

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