--- title: 10 things I know about... Public Wi-Fi description: 10 things I know about... Public Wi-Fi --- [![TowerWall](https://blog.towerwall.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Towerwall_July2021/images/head-logo-2.svg "TowerWall")](https://towerwall.com/) [![TowerWall](https://blog.towerwall.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Towerwall_July2021/images/towerwall-logo-white-test.svg "TowerWall")](https://towerwall.com/) - [Our Partners](https://towerwall.com/how-we-protect-you/our-technology-partners/) - Our Solutions - - Our Cybersecurity Solutions - We operationalize infosec, building security solutions that safeguard your most critical assets. - - [Solutions Overview](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/) - [Risk Assessments & Security Reviews](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/risk-assessments-security-reviews/) - [Program & Policy Development](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/program-policy-development/) - [Incident Response & Remediation](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/incident-response-remediation/) - [Managed Detection & Response](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/managed-detection-response/) - - [Compliance & Privacy](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/compliance-privacy/) - [Comprehensive Security Training](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/comprehensive-security-training/) - [Vulnerability Protection](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/vulnerability-protection/) - [Penetration Testing](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/penetration-testing/) - Virtual Security Officers - - Virtual Security Officer - Leverage the experience and security acumen of Towerwall’s on-demand security experts. - - [Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (VCISO)](https://towerwall.com/virtual-security-officers/virtual-chief-information-security-officer-vciso/) - [Virtual Data Protection Officer (vDPO)](https://towerwall.com/virtual-security-officers/virtual-data-protection-officer-vdpo/) - [Virtual Chief Privacy Officer (vCPO)](https://towerwall.com/virtual-security-officers/virtual-chief-privacy-officer-vcpo/) - We Advise - - We Advise - One-size security solutions only lead to failure. - Industries - [Higher Education](https://towerwall.com/industries/higher-education/) - [Financial Services & Banking](https://towerwall.com/industries/financial-services-banking/) - [Healthcare](https://towerwall.com/industries/healthcare/) - [BioPharma & Bio-Therapeutics](https://towerwall.com/industries/biopharma-bio-therapeutics/) - [Retail](https://towerwall.com/industries/retail/) - [Government](https://towerwall.com/industries/government/) - [Catholic Diocese](https://towerwall.com/industries/catholic-diocese-cybersecurity/) - [Cannabis](https://towerwall.com/industries/cannabis/) - [Small Business](https://towerwall.com/industries/small-business/) - [Enterprise](https://towerwall.com/industries/enterprise/) - Trends & Threats - [Remote Workforce](https://towerwall.com/trends-threats/remote-workforce/) - [Vendor Questionnaire](https://towerwall.com/trends-threats/vendor-questionnaire/) - [HIPAA](https://towerwall.com/trends-threats/hipaa/) - [Ransomware](https://towerwall.com/trends-threats/ransomware/) - [GDPR](https://towerwall.com/trends-threats/gdpr/) - [Cloud Security](https://towerwall.com/trends-threats/cloud-security/) - [Phishing](https://towerwall.com/trends-threats/phishing/) - [Cybersecurity Insurance](https://towerwall.com/trends-threats/cybersecurity-insurance/) - [Resources](https://towerwall.com/resources/) - - Resources - Our latest insights, events, and tools to keep you safe. - - [Insights](https://towerwall.com/resources/?resources_category=MTU%3D&focusarea=0&industries=0&search=) - [Webinars](https://towerwall.com/resources/?resources_category=MTg%3D&focusarea=0&industries=0&search=) - [Whitepapers](https://towerwall.com/resources/?resources_category=MTY%3D&focusarea=0&industries=0&search=) - [View All](https://towerwall.com/resources/) - [Company](https://towerwall.com/company/) - - Our Company - We are the industry’s leading cybersecurity preparedness partner. - - [Who We Are](https://towerwall.com/company/) - [Our Team](https://towerwall.com/company/our-team/) - [Our Approach](https://towerwall.com/our-approach/) - [Our Values](https://towerwall.com/company/our-values/) - - [Awards & Recognition](https://towerwall.com/company/awards-recognition/) - [Certifications & Affiliations](https://towerwall.com/company/certifications-affiliations/) - [Community Involvement](https://towerwall.com/company/community-involvement/) - [Careers](https://towerwall.com/company/careers/) - [Contact Us](https://towerwall.com/company/contact-us/) Topics Hack, Social Engineering, Worcester Business Journal, Public Wi-Fi, VPN, 10 Things I Know, SSL, cannabis, Enterprise # 10 things I know about... Public Wi-Fi [By Michelle Drolet](https://blog.towerwall.com/author/towerwall2020) [Read More](https://blog.towerwall.com/author/towerwall2020) 1 Minute Read May 02, 2017 ### 10. Freely hackable Free public Wi-Fi connections are treated like a public utility, but they can be making you vulnerable to hackers. ### 9. Sign me up By default, most mobile phones/devices are set to ask your permission to join a network. Once you obtain credentials, the known network will join your phone automatically. ### 8. Sniffing you out Public Wi-Fi hotspots are vulnerable since anyone sharing the same hotspot can use sniffing software to intercept your browser session while you're visiting websites. ### 7. Session hijacking Hijacking your browser session allows hackers to pick up your session cookies, allowing hackers to impersonate the victim, even if the password itself is not compromised. ### 6. SSL encryption Many websites use SSL encryption for their login pages to stop hackers from seeing your password, but do not use encryption for the rest of the website. ### 5. Cross-site scripting trickery Using cross-site scripting, hackers can trick the victim's computer into running code that appears to be trustworthy, allowing the attacker to perform hacks. ### 4. Stealing your cookies Malware or other unwanted programs can use session hijacking to steal a browser's cookie to perform unwanted actions without the user's knowledge. ### 3. Download a VPN The best way for to protect yourself on public Wi-Fi networks is to download a virtual private network (VPN) app to your mobile device, which utilizes encryption. ### 2. Safer in the cloud VPNs create a virtual network within any Wi-Fi network, thereby hooking into a secured Internet connection via the cloud. ### 1. Worry less With a VPN, users of public Wi-Fi need not worry about a device automatically detecting and connecting to an unsecured network. [This article was originally featured in the Worcester Business Journal > ](http://www.wbjournal.com/article/20170501/PRINTEDITION/304289993) #### 10 things I know about... Public Wi-Fi Back to Top ## Related Insights ### ["Bridging the Cybersecurity Skills Gap: 3 Big Steps" Featured in InformationWeek Dark Reading](https://blog.towerwall.com/towerwalls-latest-article-bridging-the-cybersecurity-skills-gap-3-big-steps-featured-in-informationweek-dark-reading) Hack, Social Engineering, Worcester Business Journal, Public Wi-Fi, VPN, 10 Things I Know, SSL, cannabis, Enterprise ### [Towerwall's Latest Article "Secure Your Future with a Virtual CISO" Featured in Infosecurity Magazine](https://blog.towerwall.com/michelle-drolet-published-infosecurity-magazine-secure-future-virtual-ciso) Hack, Social Engineering, Worcester Business Journal, Public Wi-Fi, VPN, 10 Things I Know, SSL, cannabis, Enterprise [View All Insights](https://blog.towerwall.com) × ## Talk with us now about: #### Your security needs. - ![Phone](https://blog.towerwall.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Towerwall_July2021/images/phone-icon.svg "Phone") [Call 774.204.0700](tel:774.204.0700) - ![Mail](https://blog.towerwall.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Towerwall_July2021/images/mail-icon.svg "Mail") [Email Us](mailto:info@towerwall.com) ### The front line of cybersecurity.™ For over 23 years, Towerwall, a woman-owned business, has helped scores of companies safeguard their data and leverage their investment in IT with advanced information security technology solutions and services. 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