Is Hotel WiFi Secure?

Each year, hotels experience a surge of clientele during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Whether travelers are visiting family or getting away from chaotic holiday planning, hotel stays are a staple of the season. Unfortunately, the volume of guests in a hotel can be a huge threat to your cybersecurity. If you’re booking a trip and plan to stay in a hotel, you might be wondering, “is hotel WiFi secure?” 

During this time of year, cybercriminals are out in full force and ready to take advantage of any security vulnerability on public WiFi. Take a look at the most dangerous risks from using hotel WiFi and learn to protect yourself against these threats.

Cybersecurity Risks of Public WiFi

One of the most dangerous places you can leave your information vulnerable is on a public WiFi connection. Most places that offer free WiFi, especially hotels, have unsecured WiFi networks. By creating an easily accessible connection for visitors, hotels give cybercriminals the opportunity to steal private information from unsuspecting guests. However, hotels aren’t the only place where unsecured Internet connections create cybersecurity risks.

Locations like airports, airplanes, malls, and even grocery stores can become minefields of potential cyber attacks or scams. Without protection on your device, the chance of dangerous malware, ransomware, and other risks increases significantly. When you’re on vacation during the holidays, the last thing you want is to have your identity stolen by cyberattackers. That’s why it’s important to protect yourself, and your data, while using hotel WiFi.

Is Hotel WiFi Secure?

When it comes to hotel WiFi security, it’s better to be safe than sorry. When you use the hotel Internet to go online for work or even online shopping, you are putting sensitive information at risk. Unsecured networks at most hotels have the potential to give malicious hackers access to your private data. It’s important to protect your Internet security when sending or downloading content on free public WiFi networks.

Cybercriminals have routinely stolen credit card information and personal data from victims using network vulnerabilities on public WiFi. Hotels host travelers from all over, making them the perfect place for cyberattackers to blend in and prey on guests. Information sent over unsecured networks can be seen by experienced criminals including banking data, personal photos, and other sensitive information. Take a look at the following tips to help yourself remain secure on hotel WiFi.

How to Stay Safe on Hotel WiFi

• Avoid sending or receiving personal files
• Update your device software to the latest version
• Avoid online purchases
• Update your passwords before traveling
• Avoid logging in to sensitive websites (email, social media, banking, etc.)
• Use a VPN

With these important steps, you can increase the security of your device’s privacy before your next vacation or hotel stay. When using a VPN, for example, you can keep your personal data secure both at home and on the go. 

What is a VPN?

Using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a common method of cybersecurity, especially for travelers. A VPN is a type of software that increases online privacy by masking your IP address. When your IP address is hidden, your location and identity have a stronger defense against cyberattacks, spies, and more. VPN apps allow you to remain private and secure while browsing, shopping, gaming, and more. 

Any device that connects to the Internet has a unique IP address that ties it to your location. This address is also a way to monitor your online activity. Threat actors often monitor your Internet activity, especially on public WiFi, and use it to introduce malware to your device. 

Your VPN encrypts your IP address, scrambling your data and making it hard for cybercriminals to reach your personal information. VPNs that use strong encryption protocols, like OpenVPN, Wireguard, or IKEv2, create better security for your network and devices overall. 

Secure VPN Protection from PrivadoVPN

Protecting your privacy is more important than ever before, and it’s never too late to get a reliable VPN that can help. PrivadoVPN brings you world-class security features on all your devices, helping you prevent IP leaks and spying from cybercriminals. With a premium plan, you can also get access to 10 simultaneous connections on unlimited devices from just one account. Premium users also have unlimited monthly VPN data, access to SOCKS5 proxy networks, and much more. Start strengthening your privacy and get started with PrivadoVPN today.