Is it safe to use free WiFi in Europe?

When traveling, it can certainly help to have access to the internet. Whether you’re sending a message to friends and family back home, doing work, looking for directions, or making a reservation or booking, internet access is fairly essential.

Imagine you’ve traveled without international data roaming, a travel SIM, or pocket WiFi. In such a situation, the convenience of free WiFi connections becomes your lifeline for internet access. If you didn’t realize that pocket WiFi from Hippocketwifi is the best solution for browsing in Europe, you may be forced to use a free WiFi network.

So is public WiFi safe in Europe?

Summary

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• What is Public WiFi?
• What are the risks of using free WiFi in Europe?
• What kinds of cyber attacks are common on public WiFi in Europe?
• What precautions should you follow when accessing public WiFi networks?
• What are the alternatives to free WiFi in Europe?

What is Public WiFi?

Public WiFi is any WiFi connection that users can access in a public space or a business.

Sometimes, we’ll call this Free WiFi, but this is just a WiFi connection you don’t pay for directly. You will likely pay for this WiFi in another way. Local businesses often only offer their WiFi access to paying customers.

In larger public spaces like shopping centers, train stations, or airports, you’ll typically connect via a gateway (a special web page) where you need to provide some details like your name and email address. These connections will likely use your email address for marketing purposes, sending you newsletters and offers. Fortunately, the data protection laws in Europe are pretty stringent, and you can easily unsubscribe from these mailing lists.

Smaller cafés and restaurants typically will have WiFi connections like at home. You’ll connect via the network name and using a network key (if they’ve set one up). Some businesses will give customers this key on their receipt, have staff members tell customers the password, or have a cutesy sign within the premises with the name of the WiFi network and the network key.

What are the risks of using free WiFi in Europe?

Joining WiFi networks comes with a set of risks. Being aware of these risks is the first step towards making informed decisions about your internet usage.

• These networks can be unknown. You need to find out whose network you’re joining, the security measures they have set up, or which other users are also accessing this network.
• Free WiFi networks can be unsafe. Public WiFi networks in popular locations like airports and shopping centers sometimes require no password, meaning that anyone can access them and pose a threat to the other users on the network.
• Some free WiFi networks can collect sensitive data from users. You mightn’t realize it when you connect to the network, but there are usually terms and conditions. You may be surprised at how much sensitive information you willingly give to certain network providers. Read the terms and conditions carefully to make sure that you’re safe, and when in doubt, look for an alternative WiFi connection.
• Free WiFi connections can result in sensitive data being collected. This isn’t just from the network provider, either. Even encrypted data sent through a WiFi connection can be monitored and collected while using it. There’s a risk that incredibly sensitive information like passwords, email content, and even your search history could be collected.

Massive networks across popular public spaces are much riskier. A smaller free WiFi connection in a coffee shop, for example, is usually safer. However, this doesn’t mean these risks aren’t on every public WiFi network you use.

Exercise caution and ensure your devices are set up to be as protected as possible.

Avoid sending or sharing sensitive information. Don’t connect to password-protected sites or send any messages or emails with sensitive information in them.

What kinds of cyber attacks are common on public WiFi in Europe?

There are many risks across public WiFi in Europe, and none are more dangerous than cyber attacks.

• Remember that absolutely anybody can be an attacker on a public network. You might be surprised at how easy it is to obtain the necessary tools to carry out attacks on public WiFi networks, and most attackers don’t need any technical skills. Don’t look for the typical hacker from Hollywood movies.
• Attackers can set up rogue WiFi networks posing as legitimate networks. These networks harvest data from users. Always check that the network you’re connecting to has been set up by the person claiming to provide it. Rogue networks are most common in busy areas with many different WiFi networks available. Make sure you’re connecting to the right one.
• Public WiFi networks in Europe are also at risk of packet sniffing. This is when attackers monitor and intercept the unencrypted data sent across an unprotected network. There are certain ways to protect against this, which we’ll discuss in the next section.
• Public WiFi networks are susceptible to man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks. In these instances, a WiFi network is hacked, and the attacker puts themselves in the middle of the data and communications being sent by users. Everything you do goes through them, allowing them to steal or modify the data being sent to you.
• Attackers will target sensitive and valuable information like passwords, banking information, and other data useful for identity fraud. When using these types of networks, you should be particularly careful when sharing sensitive personal information and connecting to websites and platforms that require this information.

What precautions should you follow when accessing public WiFi networks?

With these risks being possible on almost every public WiFi network, all users must do everything possible to keep themselves and their sensitive data as secure as possible.

• You can use a virtual private network (VPN). These are easy to use, and they ensure that the data you send across any public WiFi network in Europe is encrypted.
  Ensure that your device’s firewall is enabled to provide you with greater protection.
• Avoid using file-sharing programs and any other software that opens connections or increases the number of connections on your device.
• When visiting websites, make sure that they start with https and not simply http. HTTPS means that the site has SSL encryption, and the connection is safer than an unsecured connection.
• Never set your devices to automatically connect to these public networks. Instead, always make sure you choose when your device connects to public WiFi networks.
  Use antivirus software and other software to ensure your devices are less at risk from viruses and other threats.
• Always check the public WiFi network before you connect. Rogue WiFi networks always use safe-sounding names to trick users into unwillingly connecting to them.
  Don’t ever share personal data across public WiFi networks unless you’re confident that the network is safe and secure and you’ve done everything you can to protect against the aforementioned threats.

What are the alternatives to free WiFi in Europe?

The obvious way to avoid the threats of public WiFi is to use safer and more secure alternatives like pocket WiFi in Europe.

While there isn’t technically a cost for free WiFi, in most cases you’ll still need to buy a coffee, provide an email address, or pay for the connection in some other way.

Instead, you can use one of the many ways of staying connected in Europe when traveling for a similar price (or cheaper, in the case of pocket WiFi).

You can pay your domestic provider for international data roaming, allowing you to connect to the internet over a mobile data connection as you would back home.

You can also buy specific SIM or eSIM solutions for travelers.

The fastest and most secure way, however, is with pocket WiFi. Pocket WiFi is a device that connects to a mobile data connection like a smartphone but also provides a secure WiFi network for several of your devices. The dedicated device is faster than a smartphone mobile connection and much better for rural areas.

The cost of pocket WiFi varies by provider, but with prices starting at €3.90 per day, Hippocketwifi offers the best value for money.