Using public Wi-Fi safely

Cafes, airports and hotels offer free Wi-Fi, but anyone can run a network with a friendly name. A few simple precautions keep your data safer while you stay connected.

Know the risks

On a shared or fake network, attackers may watch unencrypted traffic or trick you into entering details on a copy of a real page. A common trick is an evil twin, a hotspot with a name similar to the venue’s.

Safer ways to connect

• Use your phone’s hotspot for banking and other sensitive tasks
• Confirm the exact network name with staff
• Only enter details on pages that use HTTPS
• Use a trusted VPN if you must use shared Wi-Fi for work

Tidy up afterwards

Turn off automatic connection to open networks and disable file sharing on your laptop. Keep your operating system and browser updated, log out of accounts when you finish and forget the network on your device.

Key takeaway: treat public Wi-Fi as untrusted, and use mobile data for anything sensitive.