And even though it's a different risk, it's worth checking that bluetooth is turned off as well. Disable wifi when not in use - Go into your phone settings and turn wifi off if you're not actively using it.But as it's so easy to take sensible precautions then why wouldn't you? Keep reading!

Sounds scary huh? It is, but remember that whilst hackers can do all the above very easily, it is still fairly rare. Fake hotspots - Just because a hotspot is called 'Starbucks', how do you know it's run by them? Fake hotspots with realistic names are easy to create, fooling users into connecting and allowing hackers access to all their internet traffic.Ĭriminals don't even need to be physically present to hack your wifi connection they could hide equipment to create a fake hotspot, or attack the network and leave a virus on the router to do all their work for them.Malware - There's a range of methods by which hackers can slip viruses onto your computer if they're on the same wifi connection as you.Interception - Criminals can force your internet traffic to pass through their computer (called a 'man in the middle' attack), allowing them to hijack your accounts, redirect you to websites of their choosing, or even modify what you see.

Eavesdropping - Others could listen to your internet session, potentially stealing your credit card details, emails, or account passwords.

Is hotspot shield vpn safe reddit