By REBECCA RUTHERFORD
For the Los Alamos Daily Post

Tis the season for family gatherings and travel, and we all need to stay connected on the road, right? That can mean using public Wi-Fi for your smart devices, but public Wi-Fi can be dangerous.

Think twice before connecting to public Wi-Fi, and make sure you take some precautions to protect sensitive data.

It’s important to remember that data sent over public Wi-Fi, especially open public Wi-Fi that doesn’t require a password for access—can be stolen or manipulated by an adversary.

Even if a public Wi-Fi network needs a password to connect, you have no guarantee that the data being sent over that network is encrypted.

If the data isn’t encrypted in transit, it’s much easier for a threat actor on the network to steal. It’s also possible a network is just poorly configured and that a threat actor could convince the network to use insecure protocols or steal the network PSK (pre-shared key) and use this to access your data. 

Another Wi-Fi vulnerability is known as the “evil twin” network, where a threat actor can set up malicious access points, a wireless network access point that mimics an official one. So if a wireless network at the airport is “SunPort Wi-Fi Official,” a threat actor might set up another access point and call it “Sunport Super-Fast Wi-Fi.” These names are so similar, it can be easy to trick users into connecting to their bad access point. In that case, they can use this to access users’ devices and potentially redirect to a malicious website, inject malicious proxies, and eavesdrop on network traffic. Any data sent over this compromised network can easily be stolen.

If you have to use a public Wi-Fi network, you should consider using a VPN (Virtual Private Network). What is a VPN, and how does it work? You install VPN software on your device, enabling you to take a private network and extend it over a public network. The VPN allows users to send and receive data as if sending it over that private network rather than the public one. VPN providers include NordVPN, PulseSecure, ExpressVPN, PureVPN, and many others. You can research VPN providers online and determine the best one for your needs in your price range. If you are using a work issued device while on travel, chances are it already has a VPN installed to protect your employer’s data while you are working remotely.

How does a VPN work?

• When you connect to any virtual private network service, it authenticates your device to a VPN server.
• This server applies an encryption protocol to all data you send and receive.
• The VPN service will create an encrypted “tunnel” over the internet. This “tunnel” secures data traveling between you and your destination.

To be sure every data packet stays secure; the VPN wraps it in an outer packet, which is then encrypted. This is the key element of the VPN tunnel and keeps your data safe during transfer.

When the data arrives at the server, the outer packet is removed through a decryption process.

For a simple, minute and a half explanation, check out PC Magazine’s video on YouTube that explains how a VPN works…with Legos. 

If you connect to a public Wi-Fi network for work or personal use, make sure you use a VPN provider, corporate or personal, to protect your data. VPN usage is the best way to protect your data when you need to connect to a public, unsecured Wi-FI network. 

Other ways to stay cyber safe on travel include:

• Backup your device before you go on travel, if it gets lost/stolen this will make recovery easier. 
• Turn on “Find my Device”, both iOS and Android offer options to track your device.
• Use an antivirus program to protect personal devices, make sure it is kept up to date.
• Apply any needed security patches or updates to your devices.
• Be careful what you post publicly about your vacation on social media, it can give criminals clues that you aren’t home.

Relax, have a safe trip, and make sure you bring your phone because your flights will probably get delayed! What could be more fun than playing solitaire on your phone, connected to the airport Wi-Fi via your VPN, while you wait for your flight? 

Editor’s note: Rebecca Rutherford works in information technology at Los Alamos National Laboratory.