Safe Wave Blog
Internet Security

Public Wi-Fi: what's actually risky now

Most websites encrypt everything, so the old warnings are partly out of date. The risks that remain are more specific, and easier to avoid.

6 min read

Cup of coffee next to an open laptop

Ten years ago, using café Wi-Fi meant other people on the network could often read what you sent. Today almost every site and app uses HTTPS, which encrypts the content of what you send and receive. That changed the picture, but it didn't make public networks safe by default.

The risks that are still real

  • Fake hotspots. Anyone can create a network called "Airport_Free_WiFi". Connect to the wrong one and the person running it sees which sites you visit and can push you towards fake login pages.
  • Sign-in pages. The page that asks for your room number or email is a normal web page on someone else's network. Don't reuse a real password there.
  • Your device's sharing settings. File sharing, printer discovery and open AirDrop or Nearby Share make your device visible to everyone on the network.
  • Older apps and devices. Not every app encrypts properly, and an out-of-date phone or laptop may have known weaknesses.
  • Visibility. Even with HTTPS, the network can usually see which domains you connect to and when.

Five habits that cover most of it

  1. Confirm the network name with staff before connecting, and be suspicious of near-duplicates.
  2. Turn off auto-join for public networks, so your device doesn't reconnect to anything with a familiar name.
  3. Use a VPN on networks you don't control. It encrypts everything between you and the VPN server, including the domains you visit.
  4. Switch off sharing and set the network as "Public" on Windows, which applies stricter firewall rules.
  5. Forget the network when you leave.
For banking or anything sensitive, your phone's mobile data is usually the safer option. A personal hotspot from your own phone is better than an unknown network, even a free one.

What to do on the go, in order

Check the network name. Connect. Turn on the VPN before opening anything else. Use apps rather than links from messages. Disconnect and forget the network on your way out. It's a thirty-second routine, and it removes most of what makes public Wi-Fi risky.