Cyber actors can compromise devices over Bluetooth, public Wi-Fi, and Near-Field Communications (NFC), a short-range wireless technology. This puts personal and organizational data, credentials, and devices at risk. Devices include laptops, tablets, mobile, wearable, and others that can connect to public wireless technologies.
The NSA puts together a Cybersecurity Information Sheet that describes how to identify potentially vulnerable public connections, secure common wireless technologies, and better protect devices and data. The NSA lists malicious techniques used to target each technology and provides specific recommendations, such as avoiding public Wi-Fi and instead of using a personal or corporate mobile hotspot with strong authentication and encryption. If users must connect to public Wi-Fi, they should take necessary precautions, such as using a personal or corporate-provided virtual private network (VPN) to secure the traffic.
Hackers are always looking to steal your valuable data and hurt your organization. Therefore, it is in your best interest to protect yourself and the organization for which you work.
Here at Sightline, we’re always looking for the opportunity to educate, support, and protect our members. This guidance from the National Security Agency (NSA) throughout helps users understand the risks in using public wireless technologies and enables them to make calculated decisions about the level of risk they accept. At a minimum, NSA recommends disabling Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC when not in use. Learn more here