YOUR PERSONAL SECURITY

PUBLIC WIFI

The Do’s and Don’ts of Public WIFI

Public Wi-Fi is available just about everywhere, from the local coffee shop to the hotels and airports you visit while traveling. Wi-Fi has made our lives a little easier, but it also poses security risks to the personal information available on our laptops and smartphones.  There are basically two kinds of public Wi-Fi networks: secured and unsecured.  Regardless of the connection type, you should always use public Wi-Fi with caution.  

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

CONNECT TO SECURED NETWORK

Do connect to secured public networks whenever possible. A secured network requires a user to agree to legal terms, register an account, or type in a password before connecting to the network.

TURN OFF AUTOMATIC CONNECTION

Do turn off automatic connectivity. This is a convenient feature, but it can also connect your devices to networks you ordinarily would not use. Keep these settings turned off, especially when you’re traveling to unfamiliar places.

MONITOR BLUETOOTH

Do monitor your Bluetooth connectivity. Bluetooth connectivity allows various devices to communicate with each other, and a hacker can look for open Bluetooth signals to gain access to your devices.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Don’t access personal bank accounts, or sensitive personal data, on unsecured public networks.

DON’T SHOP ONLINE

Don’t shop online when using public Wi-Fi. Making purchases online requires personal information that could include bank account details and retailer login credentials.

IMPACTED ?

If you have been impacted by this issue you can get further information from the AN GARDA SIOCHANA or depending on the type of security breach you might also contact your bank or the Data Protection Commissioner.

REMEMBER

“Solutions are like Wifi – they are available everywhere. It’s you who’s gonna decide to turn it on or off.” Anonymous

Having read this notification let us know if you have any immediate thoughts/comments you would like to share with us. This is a pilot programme so all your thoughts and comments are really welcome, they will help us find the best solution to support digital wellbeing.

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