Introduction
Hotel WiFi is one of the most common ways travelers get hacked. A study by cybersecurity researchers found that 68% of hotel networks have significant security vulnerabilities. Understanding these risks and protecting yourself is essential for any traveler.
Why Hotel WiFi Is Dangerous
Hotel WiFi networks are shared among hundreds of guests and staff. Most hotels use outdated security protocols or open networks with a simple portal login. This creates multiple attack vectors that cybercriminals exploit regularly.
Common Hotel WiFi Attacks
Man-in-the-Middle Attacks
Attackers position themselves between your device and the hotel router, intercepting all data you send and receive. Without encryption, they can capture login credentials, emails, and banking information in real-time.
Evil Twin Hotspots
Hackers create a fake WiFi network with a name similar to the hotel official network. When you connect to the fake network, all your traffic flows through the attacker device. These fake networks are often stronger than the real one, making your device auto-connect to them.
Packet Sniffing
On unencrypted networks, anyone with freely available software can capture and read the data packets flowing across the network. This includes URLs visited, form data submitted, and unencrypted communications.
How a VPN Protects You
A VPN encrypts all data between your device and the VPN server, making it unreadable to anyone on the hotel network. Even if an attacker intercepts your traffic, they see only encrypted gibberish. The VPN also masks your real IP address, adding privacy.
Recommended VPNs for Hotel WiFi
For hotel WiFi protection, we recommend ExpressVPN for its auto-connect feature and reliable kill switch, NordVPN for Threat Protection that works even when disconnected from VPN servers, and Surfshark for unlimited devices to protect your entire travel setup.
Additional Safety Tips
Forget the hotel network when you leave. Disable auto-connect to open networks. Use HTTPS-only browsing. Disable file sharing and AirDrop. Turn off Bluetooth when not in use. Consider using your mobile hotspot for sensitive banking tasks.
The Bottom Line
Never connect to hotel WiFi without a VPN active. The few seconds it takes to connect to your VPN could prevent a data breach that takes months to recover from.
