Do not use open Wi-Fi hotspots!

For some people, Wi-Fi access is almost as important as the air they breathe. But by using Wi-Fi you can become infected with a computer virus or be hacked by cyber criminals without knowing it. Open Wi-Fi hotspots in public places such as burger restaurants or hotels can be used without a password and the traffic is therefore not encrypted. Criminals can then eavesdrop on your messages and retrieve your password, for example. So only use Wi-Fi hotspots that require a password. But even then, vigilance is required! Criminals can easily set up a fake Wi-Fi hotspot, for example near your local pub, with the same Wi-Fi name and password. After all, that password is on a sign at the pub.

Here are some tips for using Wi-Fi safely:

• It is preferrable to use Wi-Fi for which you have your own password, which is not known to strangers.
• Eduroam is available in many places in the Netherlands and abroad, which uses your own personal password. That is safe.
• In other cases, use your smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot on a 4G connection.
• Can’t access a trusted Wi-Fi network? Or is your mobile device giving a warning? Then be vigilant and check whether your connection is safe: the hotspot you’re using may be fake.
• Don’t send sensitive data over unknown, unencrypted networks. At the very least, visit websites using https:// and use VPN to access the university network. This provides additional encryption that criminals cannot easily access.

Cartoon: Ruben L. Oppenheimer