It is awfully tempting to hop onto public Wi-Fi to check your email, collaborate with co-workers, surf the web, and handle personal matters. Whether you consider using public Wi-Fi for work or personal tasks, you should know there are serious risks with this free doorway to the web. In most cases, the convenience is not worth the chance of losing your personal information, including financial information. If you were to poll any IT services experts in Tulsa, you would find the vast majority refuse to use public Wi-Fi. Let’s take a look at why you should avoid public Wi-Fi:
The Problem with Public Wi-Fi
Most people claim to be skeptical of public Wi-Fi, yet many still use it. The web is so convenient, efficient, and arguably addictive that most people will hop onto an unsecured public Wi-Fi connection. Unfortunately, all the information you receive and transmit while using public Wi-Fi can be tracked and stolen. This means your personal information and financial information can be pilfered. If you use a public Wi-Fi connection for work, your clients’ data, your intellectual property, trade secrets and other valuable data will be exposed to evildoers.
Avoid the Temptation to use Public Wi-Fi
The average business professional spends a good amount of time on the road, whether it is traveling to and from work, vacationing, etc. It is awfully tempting to use public Wi-Fi when on the road. From coffee shops to hotels, airports and beyond, there are innumerable public Wi-Fi connections. Do not lose sight of the fact that you could provide digital thieves with direct access to your passwords, pictures, videos and financial data by simply hopping on an open Wi-Fi connection.
How to Protect Yourself and Your Team
If you are insistent on visiting certain websites when away from the office and your secure private web connection, be careful. Refrain from surfing to any sort of website that requires login credentials. Do not transmit any personal data or important business data on public Wi-Fi. It will also help to use a virtual private network (VPN) to form a network-within-a-network that encrypts everything you do. An IT services provider in Tulsa can help you set up such a VPN.
Furthermore, you should turn off your phone’s automatic Wi-Fi feature. This way, your phone will not automatically find those hot spots and immediately hop online.
Do you need assistance with tech? An IT services provider in Tulsa like JMARK Business Solutions can help. Reach out to us today to learn more about our services and schedule an initial appointment.