No, Really, Stop Using Public Wi-Fi

Using free, public Wi-Fi networks comes with a number of serious security risks, yet many of us do it anyway. To minimize the chance of having your money or financial information stolen, follow these steps.

• First, if you’re on public Wi-Fi, don’t shop online, log in to your financial institution, or access other sensitive sites.
• Use a Virtual Private Network, or VPN, to create a network-within-a-network, keeping everything you do encrypted.
• For sensitive sites, set up two-factor authentication, so even if hackers steal the passwords to your bank, social media, or email, they won’t be able to log in.
• And turn off the automatic Wi-Fi connectivity feature on your phone so that it won’t automatically seek out hotspots.

Most important, remind yourself that even a few moments of online convenience are far outweighed by the risks of having your personal information compromised.

Make it a great day!