Glastonbury has rolled around again, and while you’re gearing up for a weekend of music, fun, and (hopefully) good weather, you’ll want to make sure that you’re not caught out by a hacker.
How? Well, the best VPNs have your back. It might seem a bit odd to pack a VPN (or virtual private network) for a music festival, but I’ll walk you through the reasons why these digital tools will come in handy – so you can enjoy Dua Lipa, SZA, and more with better peace of mind.
Stay secure on public Wi-Fi
The 2024 Glastonbury lineup is pretty stacked – but there are bound to be times over the weekend when you look away from the action to check your phone. You might want to share a few snaps on Instagram, for instance, or scroll through X while waiting in a queue. It makes sense to rely on free public Wi-Fi hotspots to do this – but these connection points can be dangerous.
First and foremost, because it lacks the same security measures, public Wi-Fi just isn’t as secure as the internet you use at home. It’s also frighteningly easy for hackers to create their own fake hotspots. They name them something similar to the legitimate Wi-Fi connection, like #Glastonbury2024WiFi, in the hopes that you won’t think twice before joining them.
If you do, the hacker will be able to see any personal details you input while connected to the bogus Wi-Fi. Think login details, names, email addresses, and financial information.
Luckily, by using a secure mobile VPN, you can keep your data under lock and key – almost literally. VPNs encrypt your information, which makes it unreadable to anyone trying to snoop on it and ensure that if you do come across a fake Wi-Fi hotspot, the hacker behind it can’t steal your data.
Protect your payments
Using our phones to pay for stuff is incredibly handy, and it can feel safer to rely on your mobile device rather than a physical card or cash that could get lost or stolen. As I mentioned earlier, however, you’ll want to invest in a VPN if you plan on using public Wi-Fi to make these transactions – nobody wants a hacker to get hold of their online banking credentials, after all.
Shop smart
If a QR code or link looks dodgy – don’t use it. It’s also worth checking your transactions after making a purchase and ensuring that your banking notifications are enabled.
On that note, if you’re traveling overseas to England to enjoy the Glastonbury weekend, a VPN ensures that you can check your online banking account at any time without your bank wondering why there’s been a login attempt from abroad. As someone who’s had their account frozen on vacation because of this, let me tell you, a VPN can save you a lot of hassle.
All you need to do is connect to a VPN server in your home country while you’re enjoying the festival and your app will think that you’re still back home.
Get better deals
If you’re still on the hunt for hotels, or if you’re planning what you’ll do after the weekend winds to a close, a VPN can be your secret weapon – and save you some money. The things we buy online (like hotel rooms, transportation, and excursion tickets) are all subject to dynamic pricing. Basically, costs can vary from country to country.
With a VPN, you can spoof your location and make sites think that you’re elsewhere in the world, and see whether you can get a better price on that Airbnb or train ticket as a result. The same principle applies to video games, too, for all you gamers who’ll be braving the summer sunshine.
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river.hart@futurenet.com (River Hart)
