MEPX
Chapter 7 of 10All chapters
  1. 1Who is actually after you
  2. 2Passwords
  3. 3Two factor authentication
  4. 4Phishing and social engineering
  5. 5Updates and patching
  6. 6Encryption
  7. 7Networks and public wifi
  8. 8Malware and ransomware
  9. 9Access and least privilege
  10. 10When something goes wrong

Chapter 7 of 10

Networks and public wifi

Where traffic is exposed.

Public networks

On an open network, other users can see which sites you contact even when the content is encrypted. Because almost everything is HTTPS now, the risk is far lower than it was.

  • A VPN moves the trust from the cafe to the VPN provider. It is a swap, not a shield.
  • Change the default password on your own router and keep its firmware updated.

Firewalls

A firewall decides which connections are allowed in or out. The default deny on inbound connections is what stops the internet reaching services on your machine directly.