Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense Crime, Digital Desk : Free access to the internet is a perk at airports, public places and coffee shops. Unfortunately, these Wi-Fi connections tend to have low security, leaving them open to hackers and scammers. Compromising them could pose a grave danger to your personal and financial information.
To combat these risks, CERT-In has enhanced information security in India through its 'Jaagrookta Diwas’ initiative. The agency encourages citizens to be mindful and restrain from taking sensitive steps over public Wi-Fi networks. Their advisory focuses on the cyber threats which encourage diligent information handling so as to protect private data.
Why public Wi-Fi should be avoided for transactions
Public Wi-Fi hotspots are very useful, but they come with a significant trade-off. Cybercriminals are capable of spying over unsecured connections—making banking, shopping, or even logging into accounts extremely perilous.
CERT-In warns the potential outcomes of undertaking transactions over public Wi-Fi networks include, but are not limited to:
- Data breaches
- Ecomomic Damage
- Identity theft
The government has highlighted how even the smallest of activities, like checking an email or logging onto a social media platform, can put you at risk if security measures are absent.
How to stay secure on public Wi-Fi
CERT-In has advised these steps in order to develop better online behavior and ensure personal security.
Frequently save important files by backing them up to an external drive.
Sign in to trustworthy VPN services before using public Wifi.
For security reasons, sensitive information must not be stored in a browser's autofill setting, disable autofill functions in the browser.
Each one of these basic instructions can fortify security against cybercrime.
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