SMB Hotspot Security: Are Mobile Hotspots Secure?
Summary: This brief blog discusses the issues related to mobile hotspot cyber security. Learn the essential steps to ensure your mobile hotspot connection is secure. Contact DIGIGUARD CYBER SECURITY at 833-33-CYBER (833-332-9237) or visit www.DIGIGUARDsecurity.com for a cyber risk analysis and to discuss your business’s mobile hotspot security.
Technology continues to make our lives easier in so many ways. Along with all the conveniences, our need for mobility and portability has grown too. Unfortunately, the more we are away from our office or home network, the more vulnerable we become to cybercrimes. Public WiFi and other unsecured networks are easy targets for hackers. Tech-savvy users often rely on mobile hotspots to stay connected on the go.
You Never Heard Of A WiFi Hotspot?
You’ll typically find a public hotspot in a hotel, airport, cafe and pretty much anywhere people want or need to spend time on the internet when away from their home or office network. Public WiFi is unsecured. There are usually no cyber protections in place to protect users on public WiFi. However, mobile WiFi hotspots are connections that allow the user to link one device to another, thus permitting internet access. Using a mobile hotspot puts you more in control of the cyber security in place to protect your devices. Mobile hotspot security had become vital to remote access work even before the pandemic.
The Difference Between Mobile, Portable and Personal Hotspots
Before discussing the hotspot security concerns and how to address them, it is vital to understand the differences between hotspots:
- Mobile hotspots – There are two main types of mobile hotspots:
- Personal hotspots – Smartphone technology has advanced to the degree that almost everyone with a cell phone has a personal hotspot that can be enabled to access the internet anywhere there is a cell signal. Using your personal hotspot also allows access to be shared with other devices, such as other cell phones, tablets or laptops. These connections can be password-protected. For any device to become a hotspot host, the cellular provider must allow “tethering.”
- Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tethering) defines tethering or phone-as-modem (PAM) as “the sharing of a mobile device's Internet connection with other connected computers. Connection of a mobile device with other devices can be done over wireless LAN (WiFi), over Bluetooth or by physical connection using a cable, for example, through USB.”
- Portable hotspots – Portable hotspots are special electronic devices acting as routers for internet access. Users can beef up the security of their portable hotspot devices and take the worry out of using public or other unsecured WiFi networks.
- Personal hotspots – Smartphone technology has advanced to the degree that almost everyone with a cell phone has a personal hotspot that can be enabled to access the internet anywhere there is a cell signal. Using your personal hotspot also allows access to be shared with other devices, such as other cell phones, tablets or laptops. These connections can be password-protected. For any device to become a hotspot host, the cellular provider must allow “tethering.”
Are Personal Hotspots Secure?
The problem with personal hotspots is that if the host connection device is already infected with malware, everyone else sharing the connection runs the risk of their devices becoming infected. Also, if you share the device with other users, you cannot control what they click on or what impulsive risks they take while connected to your device. If any of the other users fall victim to a cyberattack, everyone connected can be at risk. Casual WiFi sharing presents a host of other variables besides the risks already associated with WiFi connections.
Portable hotspots are more secure. They are dedicated hotspot devices with cyber security built in by the manufacturers. If you travel often and access and work with private data while away, a portable hotspot is the secure way to go.
WiFi Hotspot
Mobile hotspots use cellular data to connect to the internet and share data. WiFi hotspots permit internet access. However, using a router to connect to an IP address will prevent the hotspot from being mobile.
Open Public WiFi
Any router without a password and other authentication and security protocols becomes a “Public” WiFi because anyone who wants access to the connection will have no restrictions to stop them from logging on and infecting your devices or hijacking your connection completely. Any unsecured WiFi network presents an open-hunting season to hackers. Cybercriminals are poised and ready to take advantage of network connections without proper device security. In addition to typical hacking ploys, cyber thieves can trick users into logging on to “fake networks.” For example, if you are staying at a hotel, the WiFi network might be called “Hotel Guest.” A hacker could create a network called “Hotel Guesst.” Many users would miss the extra “s” in “Guesst” and log in to a hacker's phony network. Once that happens, you have handed complete control over to the bad actors.
What Is Closed Public WiFi?
Closed public WiFi is a public WiFi hotspot that requires authentication credentials and controlled privileges to permit access. By adding this layer of security, many authorizations can be tailor-made for users' needs and security clearance. Restrictions can include bandwidth limitations, usage limits and parameters for uploading and downloading data. This option is sometimes available for a fee and is well worth the expense compared to the consequences of a cyberattack. If the attack is on your small business, the statistics show that 60% of SMBs that fall victim to an attack go out of business in the following six months.
Remote access work is here to stay. The pandemic led to a rapid expansion of remote work on the go. We have the technology to reduce the risk of cyberattacks, but it is up to you to take the threats seriously and protect your WiFi connections wherever they are.