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NordVPN experts warn: travelers should avoid using hotel Wi-FiAs domestic traveling is getting more popular, hackers use hotel Wi-Fi to attack travelers LONDON, Aug. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- JTB forecasts 40 million Japanese domestic travelers for this vacation period, this puts a lot of travelers in danger. Even though these domestic tourists have provided much-needed relief to the bleeding hotel industry of Japan, experts warn about the risks public Wi-Fi in hotels may pose. "Hackers often use hotel Wi-Fi to attack guests. This is especially important now that travelers are keen to see more familiar places and stay in local hotels, which often have poorly secured networks," NordVPN's digital privacy expert Daniel Markuson explains. How can hotel Wi-Fi be hacked?
Another threat is hackers positioning themselves as a Wi-Fi hotspot — the so-called evil twin Wi-Fi. In this scenario, cybercriminals set up fake unprotected Wi-Fi hotspots next to the hotel to trick hotel guests into connecting. Such networks usually have an unsuspicious name such as "Guest Wi-Fi". "Hotel networks are often built for the guests' convenience, ignoring security practices. This is especially common in smaller hotels, where simple and easy-to-remember passwords are created in favor of the guests," Daniel Markuson from NordVPN emphasizes. How can guests stay protected? Daniel Markuson recommends using mobile data while away from home instead of hotel or any other public Wi-Fi. However, if this is impossible, here are some things travelers can do to stay protected:
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