FBI Issues Wi-Fi Warning for Travelers & Hosts of Holiday Guests

The FBI issued a warning for holiday travelers not to use public Wi-Fi while on the road, and for hosts to protect private Wi-Fi when entertaining guests, this holiday season because of cybersecurity concerns.

The FBI’s suggestions published on its “Tech Tuesday” post this week included the following:

• Do not allow your phone, computer, tablet or other devices to auto-connect to a free wireless network while you are away from home. “This is an open invitation for bad actors to access your device. They then can load malware, steal your passwords and PINs, or even take remote control of your contacts and camera.”
• If you do need to connect to a public hotspot – such as at an airport or hotel – make sure to confirm the name of the network and the exact login procedures. “Your goal is to avoid accidentally connecting to a fraudster’s Wi-Fi that they are trying to make look legit.”
• If you absolutely have to use an unsecured hotspot, avoid doing anything sensitive like accessing your bank account. “A hacker would love your user ID and password – do not give it to them.”
• “Related to the above point, using your own secured hotspot from your phone is generally a better option,” the FBI said.
• If you are having guests stay at your home, consider setting up a separate Wi-Fi account for them. “That way, if they are running unsecured devices on your network, you can segregate their vulnerabilities from your sensitive data.”
• Disable location services – including those on your social media accounts and in your camera settings – that tell people where you are.
• “Finally, as hard as this may be in a world of oversharing, consider NOT pushing out pictures and posts about your grand adventures. Yes, your kids are adorable and Christmas morning was the best ever – but do you really want to tell the world that you are away from home?”

While the FBI warning is directed at consumers, companies should also take note, Pulse Secure CEO Sudhakar Ramakrishna said:

“As employees depart for the holidays, the enterprise should be wary of unexpected threats to network security. A chief concern? Free public Wi-Fi. In fact, the FBI recommends travelers avoid connecting their devices to free wireless hotspots to prevent bad actors from accessing their devices. With the rise of workforce mobility and Bring Your Own Device trends, employees are increasingly using work computers for personal and business use, and connecting these and other devices, such as smartphones and watches, to unsecure networks and web destinations.”

Ramakrishna warned this introduces new potential threats to the corporate network such as a malware infection. “Clearly communicate what your security policy is, and offer best practices to protect personal and corporate information as employees use their devices while they travel or even activate new devices procured over the holidays.”