When we’re out doing a bit of Christmas shopping or travelling to catch up with friends and family, it can be tempting to use public Wi-Fi to check a quick work email or access some company data.
Unfortunately, this poses a real security risk as hackers can easily snoop on our online activity and intercept data.
It’s important to be diligent when it comes to your security, especially if you are accessing your corporate network away from the office.
Think before you connect, ask yourself, what would your IT manager do if he was out on his lunch break and needed to access that work file to send to the CEO.
Would he use the unsecured network, knowing all the risks? The answer is NO. He would understand that the cafe’s service provider can monitor all traffic including any sensitive information you may have.
Always resist the temptation to access your work email or internal network using public Wi-Fi.
While this might help you catch up on your emails, you may well be gifting your username, password, and other company details to someone else lurking on the same connection or watching your keystrokes over your shoulder. If you ever have any doubt about the credibility of your network then it’s extremely important not to access the system.
It’s crucial not to let your guard down over the festive season. Cybercriminals are opportunistic and will take advantage of any lapse in security to launch an attack.
One of the most important ways to protect yourself while using a public Wi-Fi network is to use a VPN. A VPN encrypts your internet connection making it secure and protecting your privacy. Other safety measures include turning off sharing, sticking to secure sites and switching off Wi-Fi when not in use.
MetaPhish provides a powerful defence against phishing and ransomware attacks by training employees how to identify and respond appropriately to these threats. Get in touch for further information on how we can help protect your business.
