The hidden risks of using Wi-Fi in hotels and airports: Why you should avoid it

While using WiFi at airports, hotels, and other places may save you costs and phone battery, experienced individuals have warned that this seemingly harmless action carries unexpected risks.

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In today’s fast-paced world, you will find that most restaurants, airports, and hotels offer free WiFi for customers to easily access. Using these free WiFi networks has many benefits, such as saving on data charges and preserving battery life.

However, when using public WiFi, you need to be cautious about connecting personal devices haphazardly.

Risks of using WiFi in hotels or airports

Data theft

Not everyone knows that hackers or cybercriminals can easily steal login information and important data from your mobile phones and personal computers, such as emails, bank accounts, and identification cards when you use unsecured public WiFi.

Furthermore, many malicious actors impersonate WiFi networks with commonly used keywords such as “lounge,” “hotel,” or “airport” to deceive people into thinking they are connecting to legitimate networks in hotels or airports. Through these unsuspecting logins, your information can be exploited and stolen without your knowledge.

Surveillance risks

Being monitored during online activities is one of the risks you may encounter when using unsecured public WiFi or WiFi networks in hotels and airports. This is a popular hacking technique. At this point, your electronic devices can be tampered with and your data can be stolen remotely.

Potential malware infections

When using WiFi in airports or hotels, you need to be aware of the potential risks, such as secretly downloading malicious software or viruses prepared by hackers. Afterwards, when connecting to the public internet, your personal electronic devices can be automatically installed with these harmful programs. Subsequently, they can invade and steal your important information or personal data for malicious purposes.

Therefore, when using public WiFi, you need to be cautious and not take it lightly when logging into important applications such as personal emails, bank accounts, or social media accounts to avoid the risks of scams or financial exploitation.

Tips for safely using public WiFi

– Do not casually connect to external public WiFi networks unless absolutely necessary. Additionally, you should only connect to WiFi networks that require a password. However, you should also avoid logging into networks that require extensive personal or detailed information.

– Avoid using public WiFi when logging into important applications such as bank accounts, social media accounts, or personal emails. To ensure security, you should use 3G or 4G networks for these transactions.

– Set your phone to not automatically download unknown software or open suspicious links or files that may contain malicious code.

– Always secure your personal devices, such as tablets, phones, and laptops, with passwords. As for banking applications, you should set passwords with special characters to reduce the risk of data or money theft.

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Frequently asked questions

Public Wi-Fi networks in hotels and airports are often insecure and can leave your personal information vulnerable to hackers. Your data can be accessed and stolen through these unsecured networks, leading to potential identity theft and financial loss.

When you connect to a public Wi-Fi network, your device broadcasts its presence to all nearby routers and devices. This makes it easy for hackers to detect and target your device. They can use various techniques such as packet sniffing, man-in-the-middle attacks, and malicious hotspots to intercept your data.

Hackers can gain access to a variety of sensitive information, including your login credentials, credit card details, personal photos, and even your physical location. This information can then be used for identity theft, fraud, or other malicious purposes.

To stay safe, it’s recommended to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) when connecting to public Wi-Fi. A VPN encrypts your data, making it much harder for hackers to intercept. You should also ensure that your device’s firewall is enabled and avoid accessing sensitive information or making online purchases while connected to unsecured networks.

Yes, it’s important to be cautious when connecting to any public Wi-Fi network. Avoid networks that do not require a password, as they are usually less secure. Also, be wary of networks with suspicious names or those that require you to provide excessive personal information to connect.