Protecting Yourself from a Man-in-the-Middle Attack
Think of a situation wherein your very ample moments are seated in your favorite airport with your laptop. You log into the free Wi-Fi network for browsing, chatting, or even submitting your work. Unknown to you, there is this unwanted third party standing between you and your internet ecosystem. This third-party surveys everything you are doing and captures every detail ready to strike at an opportune moment. This really sounds scary. Doesn’t it?
Simply defined, a Man-in-the-Middle attack exploits the manner in which sharing is done between websites and a local computing device. Whenever you visit any site, your computing device functions by sending instructions to the remote server through the internet router. The server responds by acknowledging and executing the instruction, sends the needed information back to you through the same router.
Even though this process is so instantaneous that you can hardly recognize it, it creates a vulnerability loophole for man-in-the-middle attacks to take place. These forms of attacks most likely take place through public Wi-Fi since the internet connection is generally less secure when compared to private networks.
So then, how do you protect yourself from Man-in-the-Middle attack?
VPNs
Consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) in order to mask your computer’s IP address by redirecting your information through a private server. VPNs also help to encrypt the data being transmitted over the internet.
HTTPS
Always ensure that the sites you visit are secured by checking if your browser displays a lock symbol just next to the site’s URL. Whenever the lock symbol is not available, confirm that the “https://” prefix precedes the web address. This works to ensure your information won’t be visible to any prospecting hacker.
Firewalls
Firewalls have also proven to be a reliable means to helping defend browsing data. Even though firewalls have never been considered foolproof, they provide extra layers of security whenever public Wi-Fi is used.
Patch Management
Finally, always ensure your computer security software is installed and updated. This is because attackers can’t stop to adapt and hone new craft to intercepting your network. Updating your security software helps ensure you have access to the latest tools to keep an eye on your online activities for safety.
