Reading is great. Tracking makes it stick. Sign up for a free Dashboard to tick off tasks and see your Security Score.
Get my free Dashboard →About 5 minutes to complete
Be careful what you do on public Wi-Fi on your phone
Avoid accessing banking apps, email, or any account that contains sensitive information when connected to public Wi-Fi. Public networks in cafés, hotels, and airports are not secure.
Why this matters
Public Wi-Fi networks are shared with strangers and are frequently unsecured. Anyone on the same network can potentially intercept data sent between your phone and the internet. While most websites use HTTPS to encrypt data in transit, public Wi-Fi still carries additional risks — including rogue hotspots that mimic legitimate networks to capture your traffic. Being selective about what you do on public Wi-Fi significantly reduces your exposure.
How to do it
- Avoid logging in to banking apps, making payments, or accessing sensitive accounts when connected to public Wi-Fi.
- Check that any website you do access shows a padlock icon and 'https://' in the address bar — this confirms the connection is encrypted.
- Be sceptical of Wi-Fi networks with generic names like 'Free Airport WiFi' or 'Coffee Shop Guest' — these are easy to spoof. Confirm the network name with staff before connecting.
- If you need to access sensitive accounts on the go, switch to your phone's mobile data connection instead of public Wi-Fi — mobile data is significantly harder to intercept.
- For regular public Wi-Fi use, consider setting up a VPN on your phone — see the 'Use a VPN when connecting to public Wi-Fi' task for guidance.
Need a more detailed walkthrough?
Our step-by-step guide explains each action in full detail, with confirmation steps and related tasks.
View full step-by-step guide →Cyber Essentials framework
This task falls under the Firewallscontrol, one of five areas assessed in the UK's Cyber Essentials scheme. Completing it counts toward your Cyber Essentials alignment. Create a free account to track your progress across all five areas.
On an Android phone? Public Wi-Fi safety on Android →
Track your security score for free
Create a free Cyber Nova AI account to tick off tasks like this one, see your Security Score, and stay on top of what you've done and what's still to do.
Start your free security check