The Hidden Risks of Public Wi-Fi

Grabbing free Wi-Fi at a coffee shop, airport, or hotel feels convenient—but it’s also risky. Public networks are often unencrypted, which means anyone on the same network could potentially spy on your activity. Hackers sometimes even set up fake “free Wi-Fi” hotspots just to trick people into connecting.

Here’s what you can do to stay safe:

• Use a VPN. It encrypts your traffic so snoopers can’t see it.
• Turn off auto-connect. Don’t let your phone or laptop automatically join open networks.
• Avoid sensitive transactions. Online banking or shopping should wait until you’re on a secure network.

At CAST, we set up your home, office, and business network to be private and secure—so you don’t have to rely on risky public Wi-Fi.

Convenience is great, but safety comes first. Think twice before connecting to “free” Wi-Fi.