In honor of Cybersecurity Month, we would like to start your week with tips to stay safe online. Today's subject: Free WiFi.

Public Wi-Fi is free and incredibly convenient. However, the convenience of free Wi-Fi comes with several security risks and cyber threats.

Here are some cybersecurity tips to protect yourself:

• When using public Wi-Fi, avoid websites that contain your sensitive information such as online banking sites, work-related accounts, insurance sites, online shopping sites, and so on.
• Use cybersecurity awareness and make sure that the sites you visit have “https” (not "http") at the beginning of the URL.
• Before you connect to a public Wi-Fi network, confirm if the network is legitimate with an employee (if it’s a store) or at the information desk (if it’s a public place.) Be wary of networks like “Free Wi-Fi” or “Free Internet” or a name that’s deliberately similar to the coffee shop, hotel, or other place offering free Wi-Fi, as these can often pose a large cyber threat.
• Disable the “Automatically connect to Wi-Fi hot spot” option on your devices.
• Use Virtual Private Network (VPN) software as it will improve your cybersecurity by creating an encrypted channel for your information to flow through.
• Turn Wi-Fi off on your device when you are not working online.
• If possible, avoid using free public Wi-Fi altogether. Instead, use your smartphone as a hot spot or use a data card.

Be Smart. Be Aware. Be Secure. ERMProtect.