How Public Wi-Fi Affects Your Privacy
Public Wi-Fi is convenient - And dangerous. Using it without protection exposes your browsing activity, login credentials, and personal data to other users on the same network and to the network operator. If you use a VPN on public WiFi, read our public WiFi + VPN guide for the correct order of operations.
Risks of Public Wi-Fi
| Risk | Description | Mitigated by HTTPS? |
|---|---|---|
| Man-in-the-middle attack | Attacker intercepts traffic between your device and the router | Partially - Metadata still exposed |
| Rogue hotspot | Fake network mimicking a legitimate one (e.g. "Airport WiFi") | No - DNS can still be hijacked |
| Packet sniffing | Recording unencrypted traffic on the network | Yes - HTTPS encrypts payload |
| DNS hijacking | Network redirects your DNS queries to a malicious server | No - Use DNS-over-HTTPS |
| Session hijacking | Stealing session cookies to impersonate you on a site | Yes - For HTTPS-only cookies |
How to Stay Safe on Public Wi-Fi
- Always use a VPN - It encrypts all traffic between your device and the VPN server. After connecting, run a VPN leak test to confirm nothing is leaking.
- Look for HTTPS in the address bar - Avoid entering passwords on HTTP sites.
- Turn off auto-connect for Wi-Fi networks - Always confirm the network name with staff. If the portal isn't appearing, see our captive portal fix.
- Use your mobile data hotspot instead of public Wi-Fi for sensitive tasks.
- Enable your firewall and keep your OS updated with security patches.