Crowded airports and long delays make travellers easy targets on public wi-fi; Cyber experts share 3 safety steps
To prevent being spied on or having their accounts stolen, travellers should disable automatic network connections, avoid using public Wi-Fi for financial transactions, and use a Virtual Private Network (VPN), cybersecurity experts say
IATA just revealed that Air Traffic Control delays in Europe have risen by 114% over the last decade. Such trend is visible worldwide and suggest this Holiday travel season may leave travellers stuck in airports, and vulnerable to public Wi-Fi. Security experts warn that holiday travel chaos is a perfect opportunity to speed up attacks for cybercriminals.
Despite rising financial strains, consumers are planning to continue travelling. A recent survey by Deloitte shows that US consumers are more eager to travel than they have been in years. In Europe, 82% of people are increasing their travel budgets, even though the average overall amount spent on travelling will be slightly lower than last year, according to the European Travel Commission.
And while passenger numbers rise, so do weather-related disruptions and security incidents. The UK’s Cybersecurity agency has recently said that this year, highly significant cybersecurity incidents increased 50% for the third time in a row, while Fortinet, in its report observed a 42% increase in compromised credentials for sale.
Crowded terminals, where public Wi-Fi becomes the default way to check emails, boarding information, or accommodation details, are perfect to exploit WI-Fi for various cyberattacks.
A recent case in Australia demonstrated how simple these attacks can be: a man was jailed for setting up a fake Wi-Fi network on a domestic flight and capturing a passenger’s login details, AFP reported.
Experts from Planet VPN, one of the world’s largest free VPN providers, say such “look-alike” networks are increasingly deployed in busy travel hubs, relying on travellers’ stress or distraction to lure them in.
Konstantin Levinzon, co-founder of Planet VPN, says that the majority of such attacks go unnoticed by the authorities.
“Public Wi-Fi, whether in an airport, hotel, or restaurant, is often unencrypted and sometimes doesn’t even require a password. This makes it easy for bad actors to see what sites users visit or even hijack their sessions. Users should be especially cautious this year, as the latest AI tools allow cybercriminals to accelerate their attacks, including those targeting Wi-Fi networks”, he says.
Google has recently advised users not to use public Wi-Fi at all. But for many travellers, especially during long flights, it remains the only accessible option.
Levinzon says public networks can be used safely, after all, but travellers should take specific precautions.
1. Choose a VPN provider that doesn’t store logs
The first shield of defence in protecting your device on a public Wi-Fi is a VPN. VPN is like a secure tunnel that encrypts all of your internet traffic, and makes it much harder for others to see what they are doing online.
“On public Wi-Fi, your activity can be visible to anyone with the right tools, but once the VPN is on, your data travels inside the tunnel. People on the same network, whether it’s hackers, hotspot owners, or even your internet service provider, only see scrambled traffic, not your personal information,” Levinzon explains.
He adds that a well-designed free VPN can offer the same core protection as a paid one, providing encryption and privacy even for travellers who cannot afford premium services. However, it is important to find a provider that doesn’t store your sensitive information and doesn’t collect your emails.
2. Locking down your device takes seconds
Travellers should assume that everyone on a public network shares the same digital space.
Disabling automatic connections to open networks prevents a device from joining fraudulent hotspots in the background, while turning off file and printer sharing on laptops makes the device harder to discover or access.
Installing software updates before travelling also reduces vulnerability.
3. You should treat public Wi-Fi as “read-only mode”
Even with security measures in place, public Wi-Fi carries risks such as phishing pages or malware. Experts advise restricting activity on these networks to low-risk tasks.
“Use public Wi-Fi for searching the web or replying to an email, but avoid making transactions. The same rules should be applied not only during travel holidays, but also in our daily lives,” Levinzon says. “With fast-evolving cybersecurity threats around us, it is important to stay vigilant and also follow other basic cyber hygiene practices, such as regularly updating software, using strong passwords, and two-factor authentication.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.