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Why Cybercriminals Love Unsecured Networks

Why Cybercriminals Love Unsecured Networks

The world is slowly but surely starting to recover after the Covid-19 pandemic. This sent several countries around the world into lockdown. Businesses were closed, flights were halted and people began working from home.

As things are slowly beginning to return to normal, it is important to take care of your devices. During the past few years, cybercrime has become more frequent than ever before. Which means that your device’s security and privacy are more at risk than ever before.

You might be making use of public WiFi hotspots in order to connect to the internet. Especially if you’re traveling abroad where it’s difficult to connect. However, these public WiFi hotspots pose a serious risk to your devices as they are often unsecured networks. You should always use a VPN on unsecured networks. Read on to find out what a VPN is and how to use one.

Why do Unsecure Networks Put You at Risk?

WiFi hotspots such as the ones you often find at airports, hotels, and restaurants are usually unsecured networks. They are cheap, convenient, and easy to use. But, you should be aware that they could put your devices at risk.

Cybercriminals thrive on unsecured networks as they can gain easy access to other devices that are using the same network. This gives them the opportunity to steal data from unsuspecting victims. In some cases, they can even install malicious software on your devices.

The main method that cybercriminals use to launch a cyberattack on your device is called a man-in-the-middle attack. As the name suggests, this is when a hacker places their device in between your device and the internet connection. Not necessarily physically, but rather on the network.

This means that any information that your device sends or receives through the internet will first pass through the hacker’s device. This way they can see your personal information, and steal your data. Sometimes they can also install malware on your device.

Malware is short for malicious software. It is software that has an intention to harm your device. The most common forms of malware are viruses, spyware, and ransomware. All of these are dangerous, so it’s important to keep your device secure and prevent any malware from installing on your devices. Read on to find out what you can do to protect your devices from cyberattacks.

The Best Tools to Keep Your Devices Safe

In order to keep your device safe on unsecured networks, you need to make use of some important cybersecurity tools. Before we get into what they are, it’s important to remember that it’s always best to use a premium cybersecurity tool rather than a free one.

Free cybersecurity tools can have several drawbacks that may put your devices at risk. This is important to look out for when you’re doing research on which cybersecurity provider to use. There is also the chance that free cybersecurity software could be rogue software.This is a “cybersecurity tool” that has been devised by a cybercriminal. However, once it is on your device the rogue software will begin to install other malware on your device as well.

The first cybersecurity tool that you must make use of to prevent cyberattacks on an unsecured network is a premium VPN. A VPN or virtual private network will encrypt your internet connection. Doing so will mask what you’re doing on your device as well as your physical location. This means that your device won’t even show up on the unsecured network and a cybercriminal won’t be able to access it.

It’s important to install a VPN on your device before you travel to a different country. This is because you never know when you might need to use an unsecured network. Thus, it’s always best to be prepared. On top of that, many countries ban the use of a VPN within their borders. You can still use a VPN in these countries, however, you won’t be able to install one of your devices as they block the websites that allow you to install VPNs.

Another crucial cybersecurity tool that you must use is premium antivirus software. Antivirus software will constantly scan your device for any malware that may have been installed on it. Once malware is detected, the antivirus software can take action to remove it from your device.

Important Checks Before You Travel

Traveling can be overwhelming most of the time. It’s always a rush to make sure you have everything you need, get ready and make your way to your destination. Because of this, we can often neglect our devices and their security features that keep us safe. There are a few things that you should check at least a few days before you travel.

The first is to ensure that your VPN software is up-to-date, and the auto connect feature is on. This feature will ensure that your VPN always connects when you’re on the internet. Thereby ensuring you won’t find yourself in a situation where you forget to activate your VPN while using a public WiFi hotspot.

You should also make sure that your antivirus software is up to date. Software updates are often sent out by developers to fix any flaws appearing in the software. Updates can also sometimes add extra security features to your software. This will protect your device against new strategies used by cybercriminals to bypass your antivirus software.

Remember to install the same cybersecurity tools on your smartphone. Update your smartphone’s software as well. Once you update all of your software including your device’s operating system you’re ready to head out on your travels. You’ll be able to adventure without having to worry about your device’s security or privacy being at risk while you’re out and about.

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