Everyone knows that using a Wi-Fi connection that is open and unsecured is a great way for your iPhone to get hacked. We make the decision to connect anyway because it is enticing to save on data or you may need to connect quickly, like at Starbucks. Unfortunately, all hackers need is just a few moments of inattentiveness to compromise your phone. Sometimes you are stuck connecting to an unsecured Wi-Fi – maybe you don’t have a good signal. In that case, there are some things lowering your exposure.
The reality is you shouldn’t connect to an open Wi-Fi without an iPhone VPN for protecting your privacy online. The VPN is the best solution to protect your privacy, but there are still several other things you can do, even while using the VPN to stay protected when using the Wi-Fi at a store or the coffee shop. Combining a VPN – the best security solution – along with these other tips makes your iPhone a difficult hack, and forces ne’er do wells to choose other targets.
Along with using a VPN, here are 5 tips helping you avoid the indignity of being hacked just for using your iPhone.
Purchase a VPN and Use It Religiously
The VPN keeps your IP address and if it is a logless VPN, your actions hidden. Whether it is governmental eyes or a hacker, installing a VPN on your iPhone is a great way to keep your internet activity from being revealed. The VPN encrypts your IP address and routes your activity via a secure network. This means the VPN servers are giving you all the internet access you want while others are not able to see everything that you are doing. This sounds great, right? Unfortunately, VPNs are not this simple. Instead, there is more nuance required.
The free VPN is a VPN that ensures you will constantly have problems with logging and faulty encryption. Therefore, paying for a VPN is a wise investment. These paid VPNs have military-grade encryption along with logless features. The VPN servers are vast and located in many different countries, but if connecting to another country, you are required to follow their rules for internet usage.
The best VPNs have monthly plans, and they will not just cover your iPhone, but the service will work on all your Apple products. You can manually configure a PC as well to take advantage of this subscription.
Here are some of the best VPNs on the market:
- Secure VPN
- ExpressVPN
- TunnelBear
- NordVPN
Even with VPNs, These Activities are Not Advised
Just because you are using a VPN, this does not mean you should connect to unprotected public Wi-Fi with glee. There are still several things you should avoid because the VPN can protect you from a lot of things, but not from putting yourself in a bad situation – when that happens, your VPN is compromised.
The first thing you should never do on a public Wi-Fi is online shopping. The reason being your information is sent from your VPN-protected device to other unprotected areas, and your payment information can be intercepted there. If you need to shop, save everything in the cart and wait until you are connected to a private network.
In the same vein, do not log into your bank account or access any financial information when connected to an unsecured public network. This is similarly asking for trouble because hackers can get your account and routing numbers.
The bottom line – do not access anything requiring your personal information. Hackers love unsecured public networks because many people don’t think about what they’re doing on Wi-Fi. One way to avoid this is using your tablet or computer via a tethered network using your data. This is far better than using an unsecured Wi-Fi network.
Visit Only Sites with HTTPS in the URL
The “S” makes all the difference with site security. Here’s the difference – when you are puttering around on the internet, reading articles and watching videos, the HTTP is fine. This is a simple site that does not need any information from you. If you need to create an account, shop, or do anything where the slightest amount of personal information is divulged, an HTTPS site is critical for getting the job done via your VPN.
Security Via Two Factor Authentication
Two factor authentication is great for security because this protocol involves multiple devices. First, you enter your password like you always do, then another device receives a text or SMS message and you enter the temporary password to log in. This stymies hackers because unless they have access to the second device. Use Two Factor Authentication on all your systems, and when you combine this with a VPN you are adding another layer of security to all of your important personal accounts. The Google Authenticator app is a great thing to use and connecting to it via VPN means it is just that much more secure.
Turn Off Automatic Connections to Open Wi-Fi Networks
Automatic connections are great because we don’t have to sit around and punch in a password. However, automatic connections are terrible to open, unsecured Wi-Fi networks. Regardless of where you are, if you automatically connect to these networks, that’s trouble. Using a VPN will help, because as soon as you connect to Wi-Fi the VPN will activate. That being said, you should always make an active choice to connect with a Wi-Fi that is unsecured. A VPN will not solve every problem, but it mitigates most of them.
A great way to avoid this issue is to disable Wi-Fi when it is not in use. All you need to do to remove a Wi-Fi connection is tap the icon and select the option to “Forget This Network.” This action ensures that you will never automatically connect to the network again.
The bottom line, security starts with having a great VPN, but when using the other best practices your exposure to malfeasance will greatly lessen.
