Over half of us still don’t use a VPN when connecting to public Wi-Fi
>
With Christmas just around the corner, it is estimated that there are over 113 million travelers (opens in new tab) are getting ready to leave for their vacation destination – and that’s just in the US! More are expected to be on the move in the rest of the world.
Travel often means waiting for hours around an airport or station, in a car or on an airplane, ferry or train. People will then be more likely to connect to public Wi-Fi to stream media, watch YouTube videos, or scroll through their social media feed without eating up all their data. That’s where one of the best VPN services comes in and is a must during the holiday season.
A VPN is software that spoofs your real IP address while encrypting all data leaving your device. This means that hackers who want to abuse a public connection to get into your smartphone, tablet or laptop are prevented from doing so.
Unfortunately, a recent survey shows that most people are still do not use such security software when connecting through a risky Wi-Fi. Keep reading as we explain everything you need to know in more detail.
41% of respondents do not use a VPN at all
Ask any IT or cybersecurity expert and you’ll probably get the same answer: the era when business-only VPNs were a necessity is long gone. In today’s digital landscape, every user needs to use a secure VPN to protect their online life. And that’s especially true for those who regularly connect to open internet hotspots.
Unfortunately, it turns out that most of us are still failure to follow this important privacy-friendly practice.
In a recent survey conducted on 1,000 US users (opens in new tab) aged 18 or older, more than half of respondents (56%) said they do not use a VPN when accessing public Wi-Fi. Even worse, 41% do not use such security software at all.
While danger lurks all year round, the risks become even greater during the holiday season, as people are more likely to access the Internet from different countries and/or public networks.
Therefore cybersecurity company Look after (opens in new tab) Behind security, privacy and identity theft protection solutions like the antivirus software Lookout Security, we’ve put together a list of the most common risks for travelers to keep in mind as you travel this holiday season.
Here are the main takeaways:
- Beware of unreliable Wi-Fi connections: That’s right, airports and train stations always offer visitors their own free legitimate network. However, hackers can hide behind a similar malicious network to trick distracted travelers and steal their credentials. Watch out for names like “Free_Airport_Internet” and disable the option to automatically connect to nearby networks.
- Using public USB charging stations can be dangerous: Yes, even public USB drives can be easily misused by cybercriminals to infiltrate your device. Try to avoid crowded areas. The same goes for using USB cables that belonged to strangers.
- Don’t be fooled by travel-related phishing campaigns: As your vacation approaches, you’ll likely receive updates by email or text. Unfortunately, hackers can also use travel-related phishing scams to scam you. Be wary of messages that encourage you to click on untrustworthy links or offer travel deals that are too good to be true.
How a VPN can help
Short for virtual private network, a VPN is security software that hides your IP address location while protecting your data in an encrypted VPN tunnel.
As we mentioned above, public Wi-Fi can be easily exploited by malicious people who want to steal your data. By simply downloading and turning on your VPN, you create a layer of protection around your most sensitive information. Then you can simply relax during your holiday without worrying about your privacy.
Reliable VPN services are also essential to surf the web anonymously under any circumstances and prevent prying governments and malicious actors from accessing your data. That’s something to keep in mind if you’re vacationing in a country with invasive surveillance practices.
You should look out for features like a strict no-logs policy, strong encryption protocols, and additional security options like kill switch and split tunneling.
As for how it works, a VPN is the perfect tool for accessing blocked social media platforms, apps, and websites. That’s also very useful for catching up on your favorite TV shows abroad or, again, getting around the strict online censorship some countries enforce within their borders.
It is worth noting that authoritarian governments can block the use of VPN. This makes it vital, even for travelers visiting such countries, to opt for a service integrated with obfuscation technology to bypass these blocks.