by DNSFilter Team on Sep 19, 2024 11:59:44 AM
Today, public Wi-Fi is table stakes for the hospitality industry. Guests expect to have quality, free Wi-Fi at any hotel they go to. In fact, a recent study from Hospitality Technology magazine found that Wi-Fi is the number one amenity; respondents said they would not return to a location that offered a poor Wi-Fi experience.
That means a great Wi-Fi experience can become a differentiator, especially to business customers who rely on Wi-Fi to get their work done while on the road. Some hotels are going so far as to install tablets in each room to detect the health of the room’s Wi-Fi signal. And at least one major hotel chain has introduced secure Wi-Fi auto-connect (after a one-time set-up process).
However, though Wi-Fi is a modern hospitality requirement, it also creates security risks. If a public Wi-Fi network is unsecured or poorly secured, staff and guests are vulnerable to financial fraud, identity theft, data breaches and other cyber risks. It’s critical for hotels and resorts to get Wi-Fi security right so that guests keep coming back – and so that these facilities don’t suffer from damaging breaches.
While public Wi-FI can be very convenient, both for users and providers, it also introduces a number of security challenges. Unsecured or under-secured public Wi-Fi networks can expose users to cyber threats like identity theft, financial fraud and data breaches. Once they are connected, attackers can monitor all traffic, extract sensitive data, and even inject and spread malware.
DNS queries are fundamental to the functionality of the internet; every time you access a website, you’re sending a DNS query. Some of these can be malicious. In fact, an average internet user might access as many as 5,000 DNS queries a day and up to five of those might be malicious. That’s equivalent to 1,825 incidents per year. A malicious query can be a wide range of activities, from phishing to ransomware to cryptojacking. Often, these queries take the form of redirecting traffic from a legitimate website to a similarly named malicious website.
This brings up a quandary: Today, offering public Wi-Fi is table stakes for places like hotels, airports and even restaurants. For these businesses, providing this service is part of the customer experience. Going to a hotel and discovering they don’t offer free public Wi-Fi is almost shocking. However, it comes with risks. Research from OnePoll found that public Wi-Fi at restaurants and cafes accounted for 25% of all personal data compromise, with airports at 23% and hotels at 20%.
The easy solution is to just not offer this service, but from a business standpoint, that’s not realistic. Ensuring you can provide safe, secure public Wi-Fi can protect your company and your customers. It can even become a competitive differentiator.
How do you do this? It starts with understanding the threats to these networks, with enough context that you can understand the most effective and affordable solution. It’s also key to understand some of the best practices to follow to keep public Wi-Fi use safe for your business and your end-users.
Public Wi-Fi networks have vulnerabilities that leave organizations open to many threats that can result in data breaches, theft of customer data and possible financial losses. To make these networks secure, organizations need to understand their many risks.
These are some of the biggest public Wi-Fi network threats:
There are proactive steps organizations can take to secure their public Wi-Fi. These steps create the foundation for a holistic security strategy to keep the network resistant to data breaches and an array of cyberattacks, and to keep customer data safe.
One step is to implement encryption standards.Use WPA3 for Wi-Fi networks or other robust encryption protocols to make sure that data sent via the network is encrypted. That makes data interception difficult for attackers.
Another step is web content filtering, which is crucial in blocking access to malicious content and sites that might jeopardize the Wi-Fi network’s security. Organizations can substantially lower their risk of breaches introduced via web browsing by filtering out phishing URLs and other known malicious sites and categories of sites that usually disseminate malware.
Installing firewalls is important, too, because they form a barricade between the internet and the public Wi-Fi network. They use predetermined security rules to observe traffic in both directions. If they are configured right, firewalls are good at preventing unauthorized access and some kinds of attacks.
Another step is to disable file sharing. This feature can be highly risky on public networks because it could let attackers directly access sensitive data or install malware. It involves turning off Bluetooth discovery and anything else that’s not essential. This helps make the attack surface as small as possible.
Finally, useVirtual Private Networks.They make encrypted tunnels that enable data to securely and privately pass between the network and the user. Mandating use of VPNs for those using public Wi-Fi will help safeguard data from hackers trying to grab sensitive data.
Public and guest Wi-Fi is a key service for today’s businesses (and other institutions) but these services represent massive risk as well. Public Wi-Fi must meet the same cybersecurity standards of any other business system. Many network threats lie in wait, and attacks continue to increase in sophistication and volume. Check the list of Wi-Fi security best practices noted above against your current practices, adjust and upgrade as needed. This will ensure a safe experience for your users and your network.
by Anvesha Tiwary on Jun 17, 2024 5:08:23 PMThe convenience of highly-accessible public Wi-Fi often comes at a cost. Unsecured Wi-Fi networks can expose users to cyber threats including identity theft, financial fraud, and data breaches. In the recent webinar, Why Securing Public Wi-Fi is More Important Than Ever, Carl Levine—network security expert with almost 30 years of experience—is interviewed about the scale of impact, risks, and safe practices
Q: What are the primary risks associated with unsecured Wi-Fi networks?
CL: The biggest risk with unsecured Wi-Fi networks is the lack of encryption. When you connect to an unsecured network, anyone else on that network can easily intercept the data you’re sending or receiving. This includes personal and financial information, which can further lead to identity theft and other types of fraud.
Q: What methods do attackers use to exploit these vulnerabilities?
CL: Attackers use a number of tools to exploit these vulnerabilities. One common method involves devices known as Pineapples. These devices can mimic legitimate Wi-Fi networks, tricking devices into connecting to them instead of the genuine network. Once they are connected, attackers can monitor all traffic, extract sensitive data, and even inject and spread malware.
Q: How can individuals and organizations protect themselves from such attacks?
CL: To protect against these types of attacks, it’s important to use secure Wi-Fi protocols that include encryption, like the ones offered by modern Wi-Fi standards such as Wi-Fi 6 and 7. Additionally, individuals should be extremely careful about connecting to public Wi-Fi networks without using a VPN to encrypt their data. For organizations, implementing strong network security measures, training, and educating the employees about the risks and how to avoid them is crucial.
Q: Can you suggest any best practices for using public Wi-Fi safely?
CL: Always verify the network name with the establishment providing the Wi-Fi. This avoids any chance of connecting to mimic networks set up by attackers. Using a VPN is a must when connecting to public Wi-Fi as it encrypts your internet traffic, making it more difficult for anyone else on the network to see what you’re doing or steal your information without your knowledge. Also, keeping your device’s software and security features up to date is critical in protecting against the latest threats.
Wi-Fi networks provide valuable connectivity. At the same time, they come with significant security risks that should not be underestimated. Hear more from this interview with DNSFilter’s Carl Levine about the security of public Wi-Fi in the replay of Why Securing Public Wi-Fi is More Important Than Ever.
