You’ve probably already shared your WiFi password with a loved one, but this common practice should be avoided, according to some cybersecurity experts.
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The person you decide to share your wireless Internet network with may have good intentions, but that doesn’t stop them from exposing you to certain unexpected risks, reports the Chron.
Here are 10 reasons why you should never share your WiFi password:
1- Illegal downloads
If the person you give your password to performs illegal downloads, you could be singled out by the authorities and fined.
2- Malware
Even someone you trust could put you in danger. In fact, your loved one is not immune to malware that could infect their device, but so does anyone connected to your Wi-Fi network.
3- dates
Even if your internet plan at home includes “unlimited data,” there may be certain limitations, particularly when it comes to managing internet traffic. So the person you give your password to could voluntarily or involuntarily download masses of data and get your provider to crack down, for example by reducing the speed of your connection.
4- Hoes
Giving someone access to your Wi-Fi network also opens the door to a system with a multitude of data coming and going. A hacker could use this loophole to spy on your network, see what devices are connected to it, and access your data.
5- Blocked Sites
If your trusted third party does not respect the rules of certain websites or social networks, your IP address may be banned from these platforms. You would therefore face certain blocked sites through no direct fault of your own.
6- Password
Multiple people use the same password across multiple websites and platforms. Therefore, granting access to your Wi-Fi network could give someone else access to accounts that you don’t want to share.
7- Bandwidth
The amount of data that can be transferred from your router to your devices is limited. Therefore, if you give your WiFi password to someone else, you could be in an unfortunate position if several of you download large files or stream files at the same time. Your internet speed will then appear to be much slower.
8- Illegal Activities
Aside from visiting illegal websites, the person you provide your WiFi to could perform illegal actions over your internet network. Acts of cyberbullying or hateful comments committed by your loved one could be blamed on you based on IP address.
9- Other Devices
Giving access to your WiFi also means giving access to multiple devices connected to that network. For example, the person with your password could use your printer or smart personal assistant (Alexa, Google Home, etc.)
10- Password Release
The person you give your password to may not cause you any inconvenience, but they might in turn give your password to someone else who is not as trustworthy and could be using your Internet network maliciously or recklessly.