KUCHING (Aug 25): Using a virtual private network (VPN) increases security on public WiFi by adding a layer of encryption and protecting your data from unauthorized access.
Yap Chee Yuen, founder and technical director of Infosyte Sdn Bhd and a certified trainer with more than 20 years of experience in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector, said using a personal hotspot through a smartphone was generally safer than connecting to public Wi-Fi.
But if you must use public Wi-Fi, he recommended enabling a VPN for added security.
“Hotspots are usually more secure because you access them from your own device. Public Wi-Fi poses a big risk, especially if it’s unencrypted. Hackers can set up rogue access points, trick users into connecting to them, and then redirect them to malicious websites.
“When hotspots are not available, using a VPN is essential to protect your data,” he explained.
Yap offered the advice during Thursday night’s episode of Tek Talk’s “Ready for E-Invoicing: A Comprehensive Cybersecurity Strategy for Enterprises” in response to a question from host Patrick Tin.
Tin, who also serves as sales director at K Media Marketing, had enquired about the safety of using hotspots, especially in areas with weak internet connections.
Kelvin Lim, vice president of Infra365 and cybersecurity and cloud services expert, agreed with Yap.
Lim agreed that while using hotspots is preferable, a VPN can provide a significant boost in security when accessing less secure networks.
“A VPN is essential. Hotspots are definitely more secure than public WiFi, but always make sure your VPN is on before connecting to a public network.
“You can’t always predict what’s going to happen on these networks, so this adds an important layer of protection,” he said.
Yap also spoke about VPN options, advising users to either subscribe to a commercial VPN service or, if they have the technical expertise, set up their own VPN at home.
“There are many VPN services available online, so do your research and choose the one that suits your needs.
“Encrypted is better than unencrypted, and relying on unsecured public Wi-Fi is dangerous,” he added.