{"id":74376,"date":"2017-05-23T06:00:34","date_gmt":"2017-05-23T13:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/securingtomorrow.mcafee.com\/?p=74376"},"modified":"2025-08-14T02:28:39","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T09:28:39","slug":"vpn-mms-protection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/vpn-mms-protection\/","title":{"rendered":"How Using A VPN Could Save Your Summer"},"content":{"rendered":"

As summer inches closer, I begin to daydream about all the trips I\u2019ll get to take with my family. However, whether our days are spent on the beach or walking around cities we\u2019ve never explored, they all start the same: long-haul flights, airports, and hotels. While the Wi-Fi at the airport may claim<\/em> to be secure in the network name, public Wi-Fi networks lack encryption<\/a>, which scrambles the data being sent over the network. Without encryption, cybercriminals can intercept shared information and gain access to personal passwords, financials, or identity information.<\/p>\n

Traveling often means I\u2019ll be surrounded by (and connecting to) unfamiliar Wi-Fi networks, which makes it especially important to have a smart security solution in place for all my devices. I rely on two different tools to keep my devices and my family\u2019s devices safe while we\u2019re on the road. One is a personal VPN<\/a>, which keeps my connections safe, even if I need to log into an insecure Wi-Fi network. Personal VPNs encrypt online activities in both public and secure Wi-Fi networks, allowing users to surf the web safely and feel at peace knowing that sensitive information will be kept private.<\/p>\n

If you tend to spend a lot of browsing or doing work from your device while traveling, make sure to download\u00a0security apps<\/u>\u00a0that protect your devices directly. It\u2019s nice to have that extra layer of security, as these apps analyze the applications already installed on my phone that use my private information, and secure my data accordingly. If you\u2019re traveling to cities where pickpocketing is common (or if you\u2019re simply forgetful), many of the security apps also offer anti-theft protection that allow the user to back up, lock, and wipe the device remotely.<\/p>\n

My family likes to travel to many different places in one vacation, which makes these apps perfect \u2013 since we\u2019re bouncing between hotels or vacation rentals, we\u2019re often surrounded by unknown networks. If your device has made an unknown connection, you\u2019re potentially at risk of downloading fishy viruses or malware through the network. I\u2019ve found that it\u2019s always smart to have extra protection if your devices have a higher chance of making an insecure connection.<\/p>\n

Warning Signs to Watch Out For<\/h2>\n

While these tools are important to have, we\u2019ve learned that technology can occasionally fail us. One of the most trustworthy ways to keep your devices safe while jet-setting around this summer is to understand what an insecure Wi-Fi connection looks like. If you can determine whether the connections around you are safe or not, it will potentially save you and your loved ones a massive headache down the road. Look out for these warning signs of an insecure network, and stay away from connecting if the network looks suspicious.<\/p>\n