Public Wi-Fi networks have become increasingly popular as more and more devices require the internet to access data. Now, it’s almost impossible to go to a restaurant or business that doesn’t offer Wi-Fi of some kind, many of which will let you access it for free. While this can help check basic things online, there is some inherent risk when browsing the internet on a public Wi-Fi network.
First, it’s important to remember that internet service providers (ISPs) can monitor all unencrypted traffic on their networks. This means that the network keeps logs of everything that happens when a device is connected to it. Of course, that doesn’t mean that they will look, but it is still a real possibility. This is also one reason you shouldn’t browse non-work-related content on company Wi-Fi networks.
Now, this can vary depending on where you connect to these networks — airports and other more secure places may have monitoring in place to help provide extra security for any unusual browsing habits that might pose a threat to the location. Of course, this isn’t always the case, and sometimes they are even considered less safe than other public Wi-Fi locations because of their increased traffic. Because of this, you should always be aware of the dangers lurking in the airport Wi-Fi before using it.
It is also possible that the local coffee shop down the street doesn’t have any kind of extra monitoring in place and that the Wi-Fi network is just there to provide guests with a reliable internet connection as a perk for visiting the business. That said, that doesn’t mean that browsing on these open networks is safe.
Why open Wi-Fi networks can be dangerous
One of the main reasons that public Wi-Fi connections aren’t considered as safe as private networks is that they offer no password protection and lack the higher level of encryption that private networks do. This makes them exceptionally prone to “middle-man attacks,” which is where bad actors intercept your internet data, allowing them to capture private information such as credit card numbers, passwords to emails and other accounts, and even a history of what sites you have visited — though they cannot see the exact content that you viewed.
This means that, yes, technically, the owner of a public Wi-Fi network can see which sites you visit, as well as other data that you transmit to the internet, with the right knowledge and tools. Additionally, because public Wi-Fi has become so prevalent, some bad actors have set up what are known as “fake hotspots” to trick you into connecting to their networks so they can monitor your online data and siphon it off whenever they can. That’s why connecting to public Wi-Fi without a VPN is one of the few things you should never do on your Android phone.
What you can do to protect yourself
Protecting yourself online is always important, and while there are plenty of things you should do no matter what type of network you connect to, those connecting to public Wi-Fi networks will want to consider additional steps to increase their security when using those networks.
Firstly, try to avoid accessing sensitive information on public networks. While websites with HTTPS encryption will stop bad actors (or even just network monitors) from seeing exactly what you are saying or doing on the page, they will still show which pages you visited online and which apps you connected to.
Additionally, turning off file sharing will help prevent your personal files and folders from being shared with other devices on the same network. Sharing your files openly like this will allow bad actors on the same network to browse your documents without any interaction from you.
Most importantly, use a VPN. Virtual private networks provide a higher level of encryption for your online browsing — even when not on public Wi-Fi networks. This is just one reason why many Americans are switching to VPNs. Of course, the network providers will still be able to see that you are connected and using their bandwidth, but your data will be encrypted and harder to crack. There’s a reason Android devices and even iPhones have a VPN built-in. Plus, there are also tons of great VPN services out there.
