NETWORK PRIVACY
A Risk of Networks.
READ TIME: 3 MINUTES
There are two types of networks, secure and unsecured. If you are in a library, a small restaurant where coffee is served, or an airport where Wi-Fi is offered freely and you try and connect and find it is not a password protected, chances are you are putting yourself in danger.
Say you are doing any sort of sensitive activity on the unsecured network including shopping, banking, or emails. The information could be exposed to anyone on the network who is looking for that said information.
Risks of using public networks ⚠️
One of the most common ways for a hacker to steal your data on a public network is Man in Middle Attacks (MITM).
MITM Attacks intercept communications and data being shared between the server and the device. The hacker then can display their version of a website. Similar to if you were sending a money to a fake house address, with you believing it's the real address listed.
Another method and variation of a MITM attack is a fake Wi-Fi hotspot. If you join a fake access point all data sent over the network goes read by the hacker. Similar if someone where to intercept your mail sent to someone. These are methods used to steal your data.
What are data breaches 🔑
Online crime has increased over the years and a reported 594 million people were victims worldwide. Americans had 21% of their emails hacked and 12% of financial data stolen after shopping online. Public Wi-Fi is available everywhere and while it is convenient you may be endangering your privacy and data.