The Impact of Free Wi-Fi on The Users and The Preventive Measures

Dangers of using public Wi-Fi and remedies

Security is no more a sole-machine affair, therefore one requires a security suite to provide protection to all devices in use such as; window PC, Mac, Android smartphone, or even iPad. Public Wi-Fi can be found in public places that are popular such as airports, restaurants, malls, coffee shops, and hotels which permit their customers to access free internet.

The public “hotspots” created at these places are so widespread and common that people can regularly connect to them without making a second thought. It sounds harmless to log on and have access to your social media accounts or browse some new articles, daily activities requiring login, for example reading email or accessing bank account, however it could be risky when performing these tasks using public Wi-Fi. This admonition is due to the fact that chances are the security on these public Wi-Fi are not in existent or there is laxity.

Some of the dangers associated with using public Wi-Fi include; Man-in-the-middle attacks which embodies eavesdropping (Symantec employee, n.d). Vulnerabilities can permit cyber hackers to get in between transmission of data from your PC to the service or website provided at the public places and “read” them. Therefore, there is no more privacy as you thought. Snooping and sniffing is another danger where cyber attackers can purchase special software tools as well as devices to enable them with eavesdropping on Wi-Fi (Symantec employee, n.d). This technique permit the cyber criminals reach out to all things a person has done online and retrieve the login details which they will use to hijack one’s user accounts.

Another danger of using public Wi-Fi is presence of malicious hotspots where the cyber criminals create “rogue access points” to trick victims into getting connected to what is thought to be a legal network because the name sounds trustworthy (Symantec employee, n.d). For instance, when a person seeks accommodation at the “Royal Palace” inn and would like to connect to the public Wi-Fi provided by the hotel.

The cyber-criminal may create a Wi-Fi and give it a name that sounds similar to that of the hotel, let us say “Royal Place” inn, the two names sounds similar. In the event a person connects to the latter hotspot, sensitive information will be accessed by the cyber attacker who set up the misleading Wi-Fi. Other problems of accessing public Wi-Fi include; unencrypted networks, and malware distribution.

To guard against exposing my personal information when accessing public Wi-Fi, I will disable sharing of files, only pay visits to websites through HTTPS, to ensure I log-out all my accounts after using them, Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN), such as the Norton Wi-Fi privacy, and to make my connection to public W0Fi private (Symantec employee, n.d). Using the VPN has been considered as the best way to secure personal information when connected to public Wi-Fi.

Related questions

How to minimize the risks imposed by computer viruses, hacking, spyware, and phishing?

Fortunately, there are measures minimize the risks imposed by computer viruses, hacking, spyware, and phishing. The first measure to take is installing a firewall on PC, usually available in the form of either software or hardware. The firewall protects the PC from hackers as well as viruses by sorting the information allowed into the users’ network (Identify Theft Killer, n.d). In case the PC has come without a built-in firewall, one can install a hardware firewall, for example those coming with several home broadband routers or software found through security software.

Second, installing antivirus software which is used for detection and prevention of malicious viruses from interfering with the PC by searching for any indicators of virus activity. A virus is very dangerous since it can corrupt or delete data on the PC, delete hard drive, use one’s email, as well as send instant messages to spread problems to other PCs (Identify Theft Killer, n.d).

Third, installing anti-spyware on the PC to prevent or delete software getting installed on a computers without the user’s permission, and is often harmful to the security of the PC. The spywares tries to keep check on behavior of the PC users in order to gather personal details, reconfigure the PC, or forcefully enable the unwanted pop-ups and advertising on one’s behalf (Identify Theft Killer, n.d). So long as the spyware has been installed on the PC, it is not easy to get rid of, therefore the sooner the PC is shielded against it using antispyware, and the better off a person will be.

Fourth, installing a spam blocker or filter in email account. This is because spam can be one of the easiest ways for cyber criminals to trick you (Identify Theft Killer, n.d). Using spam blocker or filter is the best form of security as compared to being careful about opening and downloading files from emails. Lastly, anti- phishing, a service used to address certain types of trials to retrieve person or sensitive credentials by offering tolls enabling user identify Web phishing. Some anti-phishing services entail complicated planning designed to assist clients evade theft of data (techopedia.com, n.d). For instance, a prompt reaction to unauthorized access is the key to a successful “phishing instance reaction plan.”

The tool as well as services for anti-phishing usually offer certain components to enable one recognize how data has be taken without their consent, how data can be retrieved or even how to close ranks and shield a system against more hacking. Transferring personal credentials over the computer is becoming normal making it easy to mistake it with a legitimate and shielded place.

Security software suites that offer protection against computer viruses, hacking, spyware, and phishing

One requires a security software suites to provide protection to all devices in use such as; window PC, Mac, Android smartphone, or even iPad. The first security software suite is the Kaspersky Anti-Virus which provides its customers with a real-time protection against malicious programs like; viruses, hackers, spam, worms, and other forms of intrusion for their PCs (ZiffDavis, 2017). It is ranked best among other virus scanners when it comes to rate of detection.

The second security software suite is the McAfee Antivirus Plus, a cloud-based anti-virus service shielding PCs, tablets, as well as mobile phones against viruses, malware, and other security threats. It has features that will permanently delete files which are sensitive and prevent the unintentional dissemination of spam as well as viruses to other devices (ZiffDavis, 2017).

The third security software suite is the Bit defender Antivirus Plus 2016, which offers a highly rated cyber-security for the PCs. It makes it possible to install, operate behind the scene blocking malware, coupled with other online threats without lessening level of performance (ZiffDavis, 2017). This software package has new features like, Ransomware protection which takes on the modern fraud tricks, and patented algorithms work to unravel unfamiliar threats prior to causing damage.

Lastly, the Trend Micro Antivirus + Security, an antivirus and security product that can be subscribed for PCs having Windows operating systems. It is usually subscribed once to shield computer against threats related to internet as well as email such as malware, email phishing and virus. It also gives warning against links directing to potentially dangerous websites before getting accessed to them (ZiffDavis, 2017).

To protect my computer from variety of malicious attacks, I will prefer purchasing Kaspersky Anti-Virus to other security software suites. This is because it has the highest level of detecting and deleting virus besides high-speed scanning. It permits every user to select his or her suitable anti-virus defense (Das. A, 2011). However, some users of the Kaspersky Anti-Virus complain that it cannot block unwanted information from websites.

Categories perpetrators of cybercrime and other intrusions

A person involved in an online or internet-based illegal act is called cyber-criminal. Cyber-crime is becoming such as pressing and significant problem today and is even categorized as one of the top three crimes by the FBI. There are different categories perpetrators of cybercrime and other intrusions.

First, we have corporate spy, someone hired by a company to intrude into a particular computer of another company and steal its business data and information, or to assist in identifying security risks of their own company. This act of hiring a corporate spy is referred to as corporate espionage (GrayShelter, 2014).

The second category of cyber-criminal is called cracker, a person who can access a computer or network illegitimately have the intention of damaging data, taking information without the owner’s consent, or perform any other malicious act (GrayShelter, 2014). Crackers are capable of doing this because they have advanced network skills. Third, is the cyberextortionist, one who makes use of e-mails as his or her drive force for extortion (GrayShelter, 2014).

The person is likely to perform several actions, for example, threatening to unravel secret information related to the company lest they get paid a particular amount of money they demand for.

Cyberterrorist is the fourth type of a cyber-crime where a person makes use of the internet or network to demolish computer based on political reasons. This cyber-criminal is affiliated to cyberwarfare, which refers to an attack aiming at disabling the computer network of a country until the entire nation get crippled (GrayShelter, 2014).

The sixth type of cyber-criminal is the hacker, someone who can get into access of a computer or internet by illegal means (GrayShelter, 2014), where some of the makes claims or justification that their intention for hacking is meant to enhances security. Another type of cyber-criminal is the Script kiddie, a person who similar intention to that of the cracker, however he or she lack the technical skill, so in return make use of pre-written hacking and cracking programs to destroy computers or even networks (GrayShelter, 2014).

Lastly we have unethical employee, this is a cyber-criminal who intrudes into the computer or network of their employers mainly for the purpose of exploiting a security weakness or seek financial benefits from selling secret information (GrayShelter, 2014). Some of the unethical employees aim at retaliation especially when fired by the employer in bad terms.