Using a public Wi-Fi network is no longer as dangerous as it was a decade ago, as the mass adoption of the HTTPS protocol has made snooping on network communications more difficult.
This is the last message of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), το οποίο εξηγεί ότι οι συμβουλές που υπήρχαν για αποφυγή χρήσης κάποιου δημόσιου Wi-Fi και τις προσκόλλησης σε networks with code access they no longer apply these days.
“Οι συμβουλές αυτές προέρχονταν από τις αρχές του Διαδικτύου, όταν οι περισσότερες επικοινωνίες δεν ήταν κρυπτογραφημένες. Εκείνη την εποχή, αν κάποιος μπορούσε να κοιτάξει στις επικοινωνίες του δικτύου σας, θα μπορούσε να διαβάσει το Email σας. Θα μπορούσαν επίσης να κλέψουν τους κωδικούς πρόσβασής σας ή τα cookies login to impersonate you on your favorite sites.”
But the rapid adoption of HTTPS has solved this shortcoming of public Wi-Fi networks, according to the EFF. 92% of websites in the United States currently use the HTTPS protocol, its use is constantly increasing in all other countries.
However, the EFF Foundation explains that HTTPS doesn't necessarily protect all of your data, as some information is still exposed when you're connected to a public Wi-Fi and there's someone malicious user that is trying to spy on you.
Information such as the domain name you open in your browser, the size of the files you download or upload are available to someone who monitors your communications, but on the other hand, login names, passwords and messages are fully protected.
"They could see this metadata, as the ISP could see it when you browse your home. "If it is not a risk for you, then you should not worry about using public Wi-Fi," says the EFF.