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Don’t you miss those good old days when travelling meant being away from all the chaos and noises of life? But, unfortunately, the fast-paced modern life and strife competition of the rat race has eroded such pure luxury. In this new, digital world, travelling means carrying your electronic gadgets and working from anywhere or staying connected to the rest of the world via social media.

Well, that’s also a perk. You no longer have to remain chained to your desk to work. Instead, you can work from anywhere. In addition, you can regularly update your social media followers about your whereabouts by posting stories and photos of your travel adventures.

No, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on data plans. Public Wi-Fi networks ensure you can stay connected 24/7 from any part of the world. The top spots where you’ll easily get free Wi-Fi access during your travels are coffee shops, cafes, restaurants, hotels and airports. So, don’t be shy to ask for their Wi-Fi password.

Although free public Wi-Fi networks are convenient, they are unsecured and carry risks. Just as you wouldn’t want to leave your passport so people get access to your personal information, you would not want your personal data exposed when you use unsecured public Wi-Fi networks. Therefore, some precautionary steps must be taken to stay safe on these networks. Let’s get started.

Confirm you are connecting to the correct network

Before connecting to the Wi-Fi network, ensure you have the right name. Malicious actors may create Wi-Fi networks that may appear harmless but direct you to connect to a network that is set up to see your browsing activity. This means that when you enter passwords or login credentials into websites, the cybercriminal will steal your information.

Protect yourself against this by reading the network name carefully. If possible, check the business’s signage or ask an employee to ensure the Wi-Fi network is legitimate.

It is generally safer to connect to known networks than random free Wi-Fi networks. For instance, cafes and restaurants offering free Wi-Fi are typically safer than random networks that show up on your device in a public place.

Use a VPN

To protect your online privacy and security while using public Wi-Fi, consider installing a VPN. A VPN or virtual private network is one of the most secure options for digital privacy. The program encrypts data and passes it through an encrypted tunnel. Furthermore, you can also use a VPN to access geo-blocked content whilst you are travelling.

For instance, you can connect to the UK VPN server to access content available in the UK. Similarly, you can connect to any country server to access geo-blocked content whilst remaining safe on the public Wi-Fi network.

Avoid accessing confidential information

Although using VPN safeguards your online privacy and security, it is recommended not to access your personal bank accounts and other similarly sensitive data on unsecured public networks. You must also use your best judgement before conducting financial transactions.

Turn off file sharing on your devices

Whilst using a public Wi-Fi network, you must ensure to turn off file sharing on your devices. Depending on your device, you can turn off file sharing from the Control Panel or System Preferences. For instance, Apple users must turn off AirDrop when connected to a public Wi-Fi network.

To turn off file sharing, follow these steps:

  • On a Windows laptop, head to Network > Sharing Center > Change Advanced Sharing Settings > Turn off File and Printer Sharing.
  • On your Mac laptop, navigate to System Preferences > Sharing > unselect everything. Then, click on AirDrop in Finder and choose No One under Allow Me to Be Discovered By.
  • Go to the Control Center > find AirDrop on your iPhone and turn it off.

Disable auto-connect

Many devices have automatic connectivity settings, and this allows devices to connect to nearby networks quickly. This setting is convenient if you are at home or work as the available networks are trustworthy. But when travelling, your device may connect to any open network, which might be unsafe.

This feature must be disabled through the Settings app on your device. Also, choosing Forget Network after using a public Wi-Fi network would be best. Furthermore, monitor your Bluetooth settings when in public places.

Bluetooth connectivity enables devices to communicate with each other, and cybercriminals look for open Bluetooth signals to access devices. So, when you are in unfamiliar areas, turn off Bluetooth.

Update the device’s operating system and applications

Before travelling, you must update your device’s operating system and applications. Most people are guilty of ignoring these updates. But software updates come with essential bug fixes and security improvements. The updates will fix the newly discovered vulnerabilities so your device can function seamlessly.

Enable firewalls

Whilst using public Wi-Fi networks, you must enable the firewall on your device. A firewall is a barrier that safeguards your device from malware and virus threats. You can disable the firewall when using trusted networks, especially if the firewall is stopping you from accessing specific websites that are important.

Utilise two-factor and multi-factor authentication

You can enable two-factor and multi-factor authentication to protect your device, especially when logging into websites and accounts using your personal information. With these authentications enabled, you will require a second verification code to log into your account or website. This is going to protect your credentials.

Therefore, even if the hacker gets your password and username, they cannot access your accounts or websites without an authentication code. The authentication code will be sent to your email or phone, according to your preference.

The bottom line

These are some safety travel tips to consider to safeguard your digital privacy whilst connected to public Wi-Fi networks. In addition, you must also be careful when giving information voluntarily. Also, you must not click on suspicious-looking links and attachments. Finally, you must use strong passwords to protect your accounts and not install software if the network asks you to.

Safe travels!