Issue: 012

Tech Tips, Tricks & Cybersecurity Advice – No Jargon, Just Help

👋 Welcome Back, Cautious Clicker!

We all love free Wi-Fi at cafés, airports, and hotels. But lurking behind that connection might be a hacker sipping espresso and watching your data fly by.

This week, we’ll help you safely connect when you’re out and about — without becoming a target.

🧯 Tech Emergency Prep Kit: Safe Browsing on Public Wi-Fi 🛜

Before you hop on that open network:

🛑 Avoid logging into sensitive accounts
Don’t check your bank, email, or medical records on public Wi-Fi — even if it’s “secure.”

🛡️ Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network)
VPNs encrypt your traffic so snoops can’t see what you’re doing.
Try ProtonVPN, NordVPN, or Mullvad.

🌐 Check for HTTPS
Only use websites with https:// (look for the padlock 🔒). If a site is “http,” bail out.

📱 Use your phone’s hotspot when possible
Your mobile connection is safer than public Wi-Fi — plus, it’s already yours.

💡 Quick Tech Trick

Auto-disable Wi-Fi when not in use.
Your phone or laptop might connect to risky networks automatically.

✅ On iPhone: Settings → Wi-Fi → Auto-Join → Turn off for unfamiliar networks
✅ On Android: Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi preferences → Disable auto-connect

🧠 Cyber Tip of the Week

Forget networks you no longer use.
Your device stores past Wi-Fi connections — hackers can mimic a saved network name and trick your phone into connecting, they are called “Man-in-the-Middle Attacks”

Regularly purge your Wi-Fi history in Settings→Wi-Fi → Saved Networks.

On iPhone: Passwords App → Wi-Fi

Stay sharp, stay secure, and maybe skip the café Wi-Fi today.

—Your Grandson Techie