Be careful with public wifi while traveling

According to research, one in four travelers is attacked by hackers while using public wifi .

Over 85% of Americans who participated in NordVPN's survey, were scared of using public wifi while traveling and 63% of them didn’t know whether they had used a safe connection or not. NordVPN also pointed out that there is at least one wifi attack in four travelers, while using public wifi. Most of the attacks happened when travelers were transiting in airports, train stations and bus stations. Tourists are more susceptible to being tricked by hackers when traveling abroad because they do not know the legitimate wifi sources at their destination. Hackers often use the trick of “twins” with wifi names mimicking the real one, for example, “Guest_Wifi_1”, in places frequented by visitors such as airports, and stations. When you connect to such a hotspot, all personal information including bank card details, personal email and log-in information will be intercepted by the hacker.

However, beyond fake ID addresses, legal public wifi can not be 100% safe due to being set to public mode. Hackers can connect to opened internet anytime to track online activities, steal passwords, and the personal information of users. This is a form of “man-in-the-middle-attack”, meaning hackers will steal personal information through the connection between the user’s device and wifi source.

Public wifi may be a risk, but it is an essential need for tourists. NordVPN experts list some travel tips, to help travelers’ connecting internet devices be protected. First, use a VPN (virtual private internet). This form encrypts users’ data while preventing third-party intrusions. Second, you can turn off the automatic connection. This prevents connecting with the internet when you do not want to.

When traveling abroad, it’s better to buy a 4G sim in the host country, to access the internet, instead of connecting to public wifi. Finally, do not share credentials. It is advisable not to book hotels, flights or train tickets while connected to public wifi