Risk of Free WiFi

WATE interviewed Juan Overstreet of Integracon this week about the risks and safety precautions of using free public WiFi. While convenient, free WiFi can potentially expose your computer to hackers, seeking to gain information from the sites you are browsing.

When browsing on sites using public WiFi, users should be cautious about the sites they visit and the information they share. A secured website has an https address and a lock will appear in the left-hand corner of the URL address. These sites offer encryption protection that guards users from outside intrusion.

Juan pointed out that most financial institutions provide a secure connection for browsing. Users should be cautious when shopping on websites. If you are shopping on an Ecommerce site in a public place, look for the lock in the URL. Otherwise, avoid entering personal information because you could be exposing unwanted information.