Are You Getting Hacked On Your Layover?

It is fairly easy to keep connected when traveling these days. Most places have a free WiFi access point and mobile devices can connect seamlessly. Those who do a lot of traveling by air know that most major, and even less busy airports have free WiFi. So all of that time waiting in airports can be put to good use. But in a report from a New York cybersecurity company, it was recently found that it’s not so difficult to be hacked when using that free airport WiFi.

The company that did that report, Coronet, found that of the 45 busiest airports in the United States, the most vulnerable is San Diego International. Also on that list are John Wayne Airport in Southern California, Houston Hobby, Southwest Florida International, and Newark rounding out the top five.

Someone with bad intentions will few barriers if they want to hack you when you’re connected to public WiFi. This is true whether it’s password protected or not. After all, a public place doesn’t require you to have specific credentials in order to get that password and there isn’t anyone there enforcing illegal cybersecurity violations. So always make sure any device you’re using at the airport or any other public location are up-to-date with the latest patches and versions. This includes the anti-virus software or apps you should have installed on every device.

If you have to connect to websites that require you to enter sensitive information, such as your workplace or financial institution, use the built-in data connection on your phone or your WiFi hotspot if you have one. If you don’t have one of those, yet you travel a lot, consider adding that to your mobile plan. In addition, install a VPN on all of your devices. This creates a secure tunnel to wherever you’re connecting.

However, the safest action is not to connect to sites where you’re doing financial or other such transactions using a public space. Wait until you get home or back to the office.

The least vulnerable from the study data were New Orleans, Kansas City, St. Louis, Miami, and Tampa. However, just because they’re at the bottom, doesn’t mean there isn’t risk. Always update your device and avoid the public WiFi no matter where you end up spending your layovers.