How to stay safe on public Wi-Fi

Experts say, while using public WiFi networks, It’s a good idea to avoid logging into websites where there’s a chance that cybercriminals could capture your identity, passwords, or personal information — such as social networking sites, online banking services or any websites that store your credit card information.
Many cyber gurus suggest disabling file sharing on your laptop when connected to a public Wi-Fi hotspot. While one can safely keep data in sharing mode when using a private network which is secure, one must disable network sharing option on their smartphones and laptops when on a public Wi-Fi network which will prevent hackers from accessing their data.
In Windows, you can find this under Network and Sharing Center in Control Panel or System Preferences -> Sharing if you’re using a Mac. 
It’s also recommended to turn on the firewall for both OSes. Another good practice would be to use the “Forget network” option for public Wi-Fi networks or delete it once you’re done using it, in order to avoid automatically connecting to it the next time you’re in the area.
It’s also important to keep your software patched to the latest versions, whether you’re on a laptop, smartphone or tablet. 
Hackers are constantly trying to find loopholes and vulnerabilities for your devices, to which manufacturers keep releasing new firmware and updates to fix this. So, the next time you get a notification for an update, don’t ignore it.
Sometimes, even seemingly safe apps have been known inadvertently leak information. A recent investigation by FireEye revealed a popular camera app called Camera360 Ultimate which accidentally leaked sensitive data which could give malicious parties unauthorized access to users’ Camera360 cloud accounts and photos. 
This issue has been fixed in the latest version of the app. Hence, it’s best to limit your usage of third-party apps, especially when on public networks.
Also, when you are traveling, invest in a local SIM so you can use mobile data, instead of being completely reliant on Wi-Fi. Also encrypt your data. Look out for a padlock symbol on your browser. The lock symbol indicates that your connection to the website is encrypted, which is important for your security and privacy. If it’s missing, exit immediately.
The simplest solution of course would be to just stick to your data plan but if you absolutely must use a free Wi-Fi network; then do use a VPN or virtual private network, to get your work done. This way, even if a hacker manages to sniff your data, it will be heavily encrypted.
If you’re using Windows, Opera’s latest developer build offers a free built-in VPN service within the browser which requires no setup. 
Total VPN and CyberGhost and a couple of other popular services that you can try too. Enabling two-factor authentication is another way to protect your login details.
Of course, there are no absolute guarantees when it comes to safeguarding your privacy, even with precautions in place. That’s just one of the side-effects of living in a heavily interconnected world. 
Staying vigilant and restricting the type of activities you conduct when you’re out of the confines of your home network will go a long way in ensuring your safety on the Web.