Many people use public Wi-Fi networks at airports and train stations, which poses a significant security risk.
Why should you avoid public hotspots? In a public hotspot, it’s possible for other users on the same network to read your incoming and outgoing data. Sometimes you don’t even need complicated technical knowledge, just the right app on your smartphone.
But that doesn’t mean other people can only read the messages you send to your partner. Your passwords may also be at risk.
As Jürgen Kuri, IT journalist and longtime deputy editor-in-chief of Heise Online, explains on behalf of the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia, security-relevant data can also be extracted (via Land.NRW).
Only transmit data that you would write on a postcard
How can you increase your security? If you don’t want to forgo using public Wi-Fi, at least exercise caution when using public hotspots. You might even want to refrain from using your online banking app when connected to Wi-Fi at a train station or airport.
Kuri suggests only transmitting data through a public hotspot that you would also write on a postcard.
Alternatively, you can also encrypt the data you transmit. For end-to-end encryption, Kuri recommends “gpg4Win” for Windows systems and the Thunderbird plug-in “enigmail”. For Android smartphones and tablets, the expert mentions “OpenKeychain”.
If that seems too complicated, you can also take advantage of what’s called transport encryption. You just need to ensure that you choose the communication path over “https” when communicating with an online service or website.
If you suddenly notice unusual activities on your accounts after using a public network, it could mean that someone has extracted your data. Your passwords may be at risk, and it’s time to think of a new one.
On MeinMMO, we have 7 short tips for you on what to pay attention to when creating a password: 7 tips for strong passwords and why you need them
