Staying Safe on Public Wi-Fi

Cafes, airports and hotels offer convenient internet, but public networks are shared with strangers and are not always well configured. A few precautions reduce your risk.

What can go wrong

• Fake hotspots: a criminal sets up a network with a name similar to the real one.
• Snooping on unprotected traffic: on open networks, data sent to sites that do not use encryption may be visible to others.
• Malicious pop-ups: login pages that ask for more information than they should.

Most websites now use HTTPS, which encrypts the connection, so the risk is lower than it used to be. Care is still worthwhile.

Safer habits

• Confirm the exact network name and password with staff.
• Use sites that show the padlock and begin with https.
• Keep your operating system, browser and apps updated.
• Turn on your firewall. Windows Firewall is enabled by default.
• Turn off file sharing and set the network profile to Public in Windows.
• Turn off auto-connect for open networks.
• Log out when you finish and forget the network afterwards.

Think about what you do

Avoid online banking and sensitive purchases on public Wi-Fi if you can. Your phone's mobile data connection is often safer for these tasks, and you can share it as a hotspot.

Should you use a VPN?

A reputable VPN encrypts your traffic between your device and the VPN provider, which can add protection on untrusted networks. It does not stop phishing or malware, and not every VPN is trustworthy. Choose a provider with a clear privacy policy and avoid free VPN apps you know nothing about.

Use two-factor authentication

Even if a password is exposed, 2FA keeps your accounts much safer.

This article is for general information only and is not professional advice. Features, prices and menu names may change between software versions. See our disclaimer.