{"id":173112,"date":"2023-08-29T06:00:59","date_gmt":"2023-08-29T13:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=173112"},"modified":"2023-08-29T09:34:42","modified_gmt":"2023-08-29T16:34:42","slug":"on-public-wi-fi-a-vpn-is-your-friend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/on-public-wi-fi-a-vpn-is-your-friend\/","title":{"rendered":"On Public Wi-Fi, a VPN is Your Friend"},"content":{"rendered":"

You can almost feel it in the air. Wi-Fi is everywhere. And if you tap into public Wi-Fi, do it with a VPN.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The keyword in public Wi-Fi is \u201cpublic.\u201d That means anyone else on the network can see what you\u2019re connecting to and what data you\u2019re passing along, with a little effort. Your credit card number while you shop. Your password when you bank. That confidential contract you just sent to a <\/span>client. And<\/span> your logins for social media too. It\u2019s all an open book to anyone who has the tools to snoop.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What tools let them snoop? Network analyzers, or packet sniffers as many call them, can read the data traffic that travels across a network. And because public Wi-Fi networks are open, so is the data traffic \u2014 loaded with your credentials, personal info, and so on. A bad actor can gather up data with a packet sniffer, analyze it, and pluck out the sensitive bits of information that are of value.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is where a VPN comes in. It makes any network private. Even on public Wi-Fi.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at what a VPN is, how it works, and why it\u2019s your friend on public Wi-Fi.\u202f\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is a VPN and how does it protect me?\u202f\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

A\u202fVPN\u202fis an\u202fapp that you install on\u202fyour\u202fdevice\u202fto help keep your data safe as you browse\u202fthe internet.\u202fWhen you turn on your VPN app, your device\u202fmakes a secure\u202fconnection\u202fto\u202fa VPN server that routes internet traffic.\u202fSecurely. This keeps your online activity private on any network, shielding it from prying eyes. Thus, while you\u2019re on a VPN, you can browse and bank with the confidence that your passwords, credentials, and financial information are secure. If any malicious actors attempt to intercept your web traffic, they\u2019ll only see garbled content, thanks to your VPN\u2019s encryption functionality.\u202f\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Does a VPN change my IP address?\u202f\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Every internet connection is assigned a unique set of numbers called an IP address, which is tied to information such as geographic location or an Internet Service Provider (ISP).\u202fA\u202fVPN\u202freplaces\u202fyour\u202factual\u202fIP address\u202fto make it look like you\u2019ve connected to the internet\u202ffrom the physical location of the VPN server, rather than your\u202freal\u202flocation.\u202fThis is just one <\/span>reason<\/span> so many people use VPNs.\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How can I use a VPN to change my IP address?\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

To change your IP address, you open your VPN app,\u202fselect\u202fthe server location you\u2019d like to connect to, and\u202fyou\u2019re done. You\u2019re now browsing with a new IP address.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When should I use a VPN?\u202f\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

An ideal case for using a VPN\u202fis when you\u2019re using public Wi-Fi at\u202fthe airport, a caf\u00e9, hotel, or just about any place \u201cfree Wi-Fi\u201d is offered. The reason being is that these are open networks, and any somewhat enterprising cybercriminal can tap into these networks and harvest sensitive information as a result. One survey showed that\u202f<\/span>39% of internet users worldwide understand public Wi-Fi is unsafe<\/span><\/a>, yet\u202fsome users still bank, shop, and do other sensitive things\u202fon public\u202fWi-Fi despite the understood risks.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Further, you have your privacy to consider. You can use a VPN to help stop advertisers from tracking you. Searches you perform and websites you visit won\u2019t get traced back to you, which can prevent advertisers from gleaning information about you and your online habits in general. Moreover, some ISPs collect the browsing history of their users and share it with advertisers and other third parties. A VPN can prevent this type of collection as well.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Can a VPN protect my search history?\u202f\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

A\u202fVPN protects\u202fyour search history through the secure connection\u202fyou share.\u202fWhen you search for a website, or type a\u202fURL\u202finto your navigation bar, your device sends something called a DNS\u202frequest, which translates the website into\u202fthe IP address of the web server. This is how your browser can\u202ffind\u202fthe website and serve its content to you.\u202fBy encrypting\u202fyour\u202fDNS requests,\u202fa\u202fVPN\u202fcan\u202fhide your\u202fsearch habits and history\u202ffrom\u202fthose that might use that info as part of building a profile of you. Others might use this info in a wide variety of ways, from\u202flegitimately\u202fserving targeted ads to\u202fnefarious\u202fsocial engineering.\u202f\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Are VPNs and \u201cIncognito Mode\u201d and \u201cPrivate Mode\u201d in browsers the same thing?\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Note that a VPN is quite different and far, far more comprehensive than using \u201cPrivate Mode\u201d or \u201cIncognito Mode\u201d on your browser. Those modes only hide your search history locally on your device\u2014not from others on the internet, like ISPs and advertisers.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Does a VPN make me anonymous?\u202f\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

No,\u202fa\u202fVPN <\/span>can’t<\/span> make you anonymous. Not entirely anyway. They help\u202fsecure\u202fwhat you\u2019re doing, but your\u202fISP still knows when you\u2019re using the internet. They just can\u2019t see what you\u2019re doing, what sites you visit, or how long you\u2019ve been on a site.\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What about services like Apple Private Relay?\u202f\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Apple\u2019s Private Relay is\u202fsimilar to\u202fa VPN in that it changes your IP address so websites you visit can\u2019t\u202ftell exactly where you are.\u202fIt works on iOS and Macs as part of an iCloud+ subscription. Yet there is one important distinction: it only protects your privacy while surfing with the Safari browser.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Per Apple, it works like this:\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When Private Relay is enabled, your requests are sent through two separate, secure internet relays. Your IP address is visible to your network provider and to the first relay, which is operated by Apple. Your DNS records are encrypted, so neither party can see the address of the website you\u2019re trying to visit. The second relay, which is operated by a third-party content provider, generates a temporary IP address, decrypts the name of the website you requested, and connects you to the site. All of this is done using the latest internet standards to maintain a high-performance browsing experience while protecting your privacy.<\/span><\/i>\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Check to see if Apple Private Relay is available in your country or region. If you travel somewhere that Private Relay isn\u2019t available, <\/span>it’ll<\/span> automatically turn off and will notify you when it\u2019s unavailable and once more when it\u2019s active again. You can\u202f<\/span>learn more about it here<\/span><\/a>\u202f, and how you can enable it on your Apple devices.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Do I need a VPN if I have Apple Private Relay?\u202f\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Private Relay only works with Safari on iOS\u202fand\u202fmacOS as part of an iCloud+ subscription.\u202fEven if you are using an Apple device,\u202fa VPN is still a good idea because\u202f<\/span>it’ll<\/span> protect the information that your device sends\u202foutside of Safari \u2014 such as any info passed along by your apps or any other browsers you <\/span>might<\/span> use.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How to get your own VPN.\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

An unlimited VPN with bank-grade encryption comes as\u202f<\/span>part of your McAfee+ subscription<\/span><\/a>\u202fand provides the security and privacy benefits above with bank-grade encryption. Additionally, it turns on automatically any time you connect to an unsecured Wi-Fi network, which takes the guesswork out of when you absolutely need to use it.\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In all, our VPN makes it practically impossible for cybercriminals or advertisers to access so that what you do online remains anonymous, so you can enjoy your time online with confidence.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n