Ever connected your device to public Wi-Fi? Here's why the government is worried about it

To curb such scams and enhance digital safety awareness, CERT-In has issued fresh reminders under its ‘Jaagrookta Diwas’ initiative, urging citizens to avoid conducting sensitive transactions over public Wi-Fi networks. Emphasising the rising threat of cyberattacks, the advisory underscores the need for practising safe online habits to safeguard personal data and devices.

What are best practises?

• Always use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to secure your connection.
• Do not enable "Connect automatically" feature.
• Verify the network credentials authorities before connecting. with concerned
• Never click on any links or attachments received from strangers.
• Create long, unique and strong passwords for each account.
• Avoid performing sensitive transactions using public Wi-Fi.
• Regularly back up important files to an external drive.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a service that protects user's internet connection and privacy online.

Fraudsters create domains with similar names/malicious domains for the distribution of spoofed and malicious versions of popular VPN software.

What is the Modus Operandi?
Fraudsters create several look alike websites containing malicious download links.
Fraudsters use the icons and identical Graphical User Interface (GUI) of popular VPN applications.
Once the victim clicks the malicious link on such pages, it may lead to the downloading of malicious VPN setup file infected with malware or to websites that contain malware.

CERT-In is India’s national agency for incident response and cybersecurity, operating under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Mandated by the Information Technology Act, 2000, CERT-In serves as the country's nodal agency for handling cybersecurity incidents. Its responsibilities include collecting, analysing, and sharing information on cyber threats, offering emergency support, and coordinating response efforts across various sectors.