Add (1) point for all “YES” answers: Do you use free wifi services at cafes’, restaurants, airports, and/or hotels? Do you download apps from the Play Store or App Store without conducting thorough research on the developer? When you receive an unsolicited email from a business, do you open it? Do you click on links that are embedded in messages from random businesses? If you receive an email from a known contact, but it looks strange, would you still open it? Do you click on links to unsubscribe from lists you have not signed up for? Do you use the same password for multiple account sign-ins? Is your location services feature turned “ON”? Have you closely reviewed your security settings on your mobile device? Do you use your banking app while you are connected to a free wifi service? Do you connect to free wifi services without using a VPN? Do you have a weak passcode (4 digits only)? Tally up your score (1 point for each “YES”

1. use of free wifi service through public wifi services? Yes
2.  Download app ( Play Store or App store) without researching the developer? Yes
3.  Do you open unsolicited emails receive from a business? No
4. Click on links send by random business through messages? No
5. Do you open email receive from any known person but that not looks secure? No
6.   Click on unsubscribe links that you have not signed in? Yes
7.  Having the same password for many online accounts? Yes
8. Do you keep ‘ON' your location? No
9. Do you review you security feature of your mobile phones? No
10. Do you use your banking app while you are connected to a free wifi service? Yes
11. Do you connect to free wifi services without using a VPN? Yes
12. Do you have a weak passcode (4 digits only)? No

I scored 6 which means I’m vulnerable to hackers, identify thieves, or maybe someone trying to steal my information.

Nowadays the availability of the internet is not a big problem. We can use the internet through our internet connection ( Internet service provider) or simply using the public wifi connection available at various public places such as coffee shops, airports, or hotels. The easy availability of interest has made our life manageable. The easy availability has also brought various risks with it.

It has become very common to ask for the word of the Public WiFi network when we are outside. The danger of public WiFi can’t be denied. It is true if one is connected to public WiFi networks without taking any precautions or use hotspots without any authenticity, then they are definitely at substantial risk. Nevertheless, the steps needed to follow for the safe usage of public WiFi are very simple. The only best path to ensure safe public WiFi network use is through VPN (Virtual Private Network). A VPN creates a passage of the user’s traffic that is safeguarded by end-to-end encryption. A VPN prevents the traffic from going straight to the server and diverts the routes to its server. This step prevents one server from the attacker as they are unable to find the traffic of the user even when they are connected to the same public WiFi network. Net banking or using banking apps while connected with public WiFi is also not secured way. Banks use a high level of security to keep the details of the customers safe and secure but there is a chance of unsafe public WiFi network presence. Hackers can take the advantage of the unsecured network and steal important banking details.

Everyone receives plenty of emails that are not concerned to them and so to get rid of them naturally the user clicks on the unsubscribe button present in the email. However, those unsubscribe options can let you to another risky page. This step may also give the sender plenty of information about the user or may be infected with that can attack the user’s device.

Internet users tend to use the same password for many different accounts. When the same password being used by the user for all the accounts, it provides hackers a chance to hack users all accounts. After gaining access to one account, hackers can take over control of all other online accounts.