Cybersecurity risks of public Wi-Fi networks

Public Wi-Fi networks in locations such as airports, hotels, and cafes pose significant cybersecurity risks to users. Experts warn that the reputation of an establishment does not guarantee the security of its internet connection.

Common threats include 'man-in-the-middle' attacks, where a criminal intercepts communication between a device and the network to steal data, and 'evil twin' attacks, where fraudulent access points are created with names similar to legitimate networks to deceive travelers. These methods can lead to the theft of passwords, banking information, personal documents, and corporate data.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) can mitigate these risks by creating a secure tunnel between a device and the internet, protecting sensitive information from interception during transit.