Avoid the following actions on Wi-Fi networks available in public places

Free public Wi-Fi, such as that available in airports, hotels, restaurants, and cafes, may seem a blessing, but its use carries many risks, which requires caution to protect information from hackers.

In a report published by the American Simplay magazine, writer Catherine McKinley said that the publisher of the Kaspersky Security software noticed that hackers could penetrate the network you were calling, allowing them to capture any information you send over the Internet, including emails, financial information, user names and passwords .

She advised the author to beware of everything while on a public Wi-Fi network, and recommended using a VPN and installing a malware scanner such as "Norton Secure VPN" or "Malware Bites" to be extra careful.

Quoting from Kaspersky, she added that users can also use the public and unsafe Wi-Fi network to target a laptop, smartphone or tablet device via malicious software, stressing the need to avoid the following seven things to keep information safe:

1- Verify the legality of Wi-Fi
The author explained that hackers may create fake Wi-Fi hotspots using similar names to the site that provides free Wi-Fi, allowing them to intercept the user's private information.

It explains that the best way to ensure that you are on the correct network is to speak with an employee and obtain the contact name, IP address, and password.

2- Do not use an unsafe network if there is a safe alternative
A secure Wi-Fi network needs a password to connect, agree to legal terms, or create an account, and some secure networks may require you to pay a fee or buy something from the store before employees give you the password.

3- Do not shop online
Connecting to an insecure Wi-Fi to shop requires logging in to the store and entering your credit card information to make a purchase, and you may have given out your information to hackers who may take advantage of it in the connection itself, so you should refrain from making any transactions in order to be able to shop through a secure network.

4- Avoid verifying your bank account
The writer stressed the importance of adding other security features to any financial accounts such as two-factor authentication that makes it difficult for thieves to access your information, and said that all the user has to do is verify a text message or an authentication application to obtain a custom code.

5- Don't log in to websites starting with "// http:"
Tripp Safi recommended that users when logging into their accounts make sure that the website address starts with "//: https" or displays a lock icon in the website address bar, which means that the site is encrypted and secured.

If the site uses the old and simple "http:" without "s", then you should not enter usernames, passwords or personal information there.

6- Do not leave your phone or computer unattended
Some thieves try to steal your information in the old way by eye-catching and trying to monitor personal information while using a laptop or phone, so it is important to cover the keyboard or phone screen when you type the PIN or login information.

Hackers may target a phone or laptop computer that the owner has left open and moved away for a few moments when he has to leave his place, so you should turn off the laptop or phone, and take it with you.

7- Do not leave your Bluetooth on when you do not need it
Although this has nothing to do with public Wi-Fi, it is important to know that the Bluetooth connection can be compromised as discovered by a research team that tested the vulnerabilities in Bluetooth connections.

The researchers were able to "listen to or change the content of the near Bluetooth connection".