Is Hotel Wi-Fi Safe? What to Know Before Your Next Vacation

Nothing beats reclining in a luxurious hotel room on the first night of a much-anticipated vacation, ready to connect your devices to the free Wi-Fi and start blissfully scrolling through your favorite apps and websites. Truth be told, it’s a ritual that most of us engage in without a second thought. While we all know the dangers of public Wi-Fi, what could be safer than the cozy confines of a reputable hotel Wi-Fi connection? But is hotel Wi-Fi safe?

Unfortunately, the chilling reality is this: Your data, your personal information and even your hard-earned money could be at risk every time you connect to hotel Wi-Fi. And with thousands of guests using Wi-Fi connections in hotels at any given moment, getting hacked while on vacation is no longer just a remote possibility—it’s an unsettling smartphone security threat on the rise. 

To find out more about the risks and steps you need to take to protect yourself, we turned to two cybersecurity experts—Adrianus Warmenhoven, cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, and Gregg Smith, CEO of the Technology Advancement Center—both of whom have decades of experience in online security. We’ll walk you through some best practices for secure connectivity while traveling so you can surf safely, no matter where your journey takes you.

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Is hotel Wi-Fi safe?

Hotel Wi-Fi networks, often left unsecured or protected by outdated security measures, provide a fertile ground for cybercriminals. Once these criminals gain access to an unprotected hotel Wi-Fi router, they can intercept data from any other device on the network, allowing them to spy on your online activities, steal your passwords and personal information, and even manipulate your devices—all without your knowledge.

To understand how this works, think of the connection between a Wi-Fi router and a device as a two-way bridge, where malware can travel in either direction. “Sophisticated malware from an infected device can spread to the Wi-Fi router and infect other devices connected to the network,” says Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN. “It can also stay in the router and collect data from any other device in the network or change router settings and redirect users to malicious websites.”

But what if hotel networks offer advanced speeds or require passwords? Is hotel Wi-Fi safe then? Not always, says Gregg Smith, CEO of Technology Advancement Center, a cybersecurity nonprofit. In fact, hotels themselves can view basic information—like your device’s info and the time of your connection—when you connect to their Wi-Fi network.

“Readers need to understand that they are vulnerable to the many threats that exist in the wild,” Smith says. Smart hotel guests will take preventive online security measures to make sure their next vacation doesn’t become a nightmare.

Cybersecurity specialists like Smith advise using a VPN, avoiding sensitive transactions like banking on hotel Wi-Fi and enabling two-factor authentication on all critical accounts to stay protected while traveling. When possible, use your mobile hot spot or bring a secure travel router instead of relying on public Wi-Fi.

What are the dangers of public Wi-Fi in hotels?

In an era when we are more connected than ever, travelers often rely on the convenience of hotel Wi-Fi. But behind that comfort, hotel Wi-Fi networks can expose users to online scams and cybersecurity threats. To protect your data and privacy, you need to know how to stay safe on hotel Wi-Fi. Keep reading to learn the key risks and how to avoid them.

The risk: Unprotected connections

One of the most common ways cybercriminals can use hotel Wi-Fi to steal guests’ information is by taking advantage of unprotected connections, according to Warmenhoven. When they find a hotel Wi-Fi network that lacks the proper security features, they can connect to the network and install spyware, which infects all other devices connected to that Wi-Fi. From there, hackers can launch what’s called a “session takeover,” during which they hijack your web browsing session and access everything on your device, including passwords and sensitive documents, according to Smith.

The unstandardized, poorly protected networks and unsecured hot spots that anyone can access create a perfect environment for cybercriminals. A pop-up warning about a compromised connection could be your first sign—as soon as you connect—that your data isn’t safe. 

How to stay safe: To protect your devices when connecting to hotel Wi-Fi, Warmenhoven suggests using firewalls or other tools that can fight off malware or hijackers, like NordVPN’s Threat Protection software. Using VPNs for public Wi-Fi security offers additional reassurance by providing a shield against prying eyes, ensuring your data stays secure even in vulnerable environments.

Smith also recommends checking to see that the websites you visit have HTTPS in their URLs to ensure that you’re using a secure connection when browsing online.

The risk: Data breaches

Hackers commonly send phishing emails to hotel employees or create fake hotel login pages that appear legitimate enough for the employee to enter their credentials. Once the hacker obtains the employee’s login information, they can access the hotel’s system, steal sensitive data and infiltrate the Wi-Fi network to spy on guests’ online activity.

This sneaky tactic led to the Marriott data breaches in 2020 and 2022. During these attacks, cybercriminals gained access to confidential information, including guests’ credit card details.

How to stay safe: Is hotel Wi-Fi safe enough to access a bank account? The answer, unfortunately, is no. Avoid sharing sensitive information or logging in to critical accounts, such as your bank account, when using hotel Wi-Fi. Instead, limit your web browsing to simple, safe activities like searching Google or reading your favorite websites. No matter how safe a hotel’s Wi-Fi appears to be, malware acts quietly and invisibly to steal your data, so you never know if the network has been compromised until it’s too late.

For your safety, always check the network name with hotel management before logging on. Security-minded travelers recommend two effective countermeasures: VPNs and personal hot spot devices. 

The risk: Evil twin hot spots

Think twice before connecting to any old Wi-Fi network with the name “Hotel Wi-Fi”—it could be a so-called evil twin. This fake, unprotected Wi-Fi hot spot is created by hackers to trick you into connecting so they can watch your web browsing and steal your credentials when you log in to important accounts. Evil twin hot spots typically have a generic, unsuspicious name, such as “Guest Wi-Fi” or “Free Hotel Wi-Fi,” rather than the name of the hotel itself, Warmenhoven says.

How to stay safe: Warmenhoven recommends asking the person at the reception desk to give the exact name and password for the provided Wi-Fi when you check in to the hotel. He also advises using a VPN on your devices; it’ll encrypt your data as you browse the web and block third parties from intercepting your online activity.

The risk: Cyberstalking

Believe it or not, the smart TV in your hotel room can become a gateway for cybercriminals, according to Warmenhoven. Thanks to the TV’s established connection to the hotel Wi-Fi, hackers who gain access to the network can weasel their way into the smart TV too.

“Depending on the aim of intruders, a hacked smart TV could be used for a number of cybercrimes—from cyberstalking travelers with built-in microphones or cameras to stealing personal credentials used to log in to apps on the smart TV and selling them on the dark web,” Warmenhoven says. Even if hackers just have access to a hotel’s Wi-Fi network, they can still collect the browsing history on your devices and use it to stalk or threaten you.

How to stay safe: If you have a smart TV in your hotel room, Warmenhoven suggests keeping it unplugged from power sources when it’s not being used. You should also cover the TV’s webcam and avoid logging in with personal credentials to mitigate your risk of getting hacked, he says.

The risk: Automatic connections

When you stay at a hotel, your devices are constantly surrounded by dozens of public and insecure internet connections. These random Wi-Fi networks may seem harmless, but don’t forget that your devices could automatically join any network that you’ve used before without you even realizing it. 

Although the automatic connection feature comes in handy for connecting to Wi-Fi in an office or a friend’s house, it poses a significant risk when connecting to free public Wi-Fi. The network may have been compromised since your last connection, or worse, a hacker could have swapped it with an evil twin.

How to stay safe: Disabling the automatic connection feature is one solution to protect your device, according to Warmenhoven. On most devices, you can head to your Wi-Fi or network settings and toggle off auto-join options. The second is to install security apps, such as firewalls or VPNs, so that even if the device connects to a compromised Wi-Fi network, it can fight off cybercriminals and hackers who try to access it, he says.

The risk: Spoofing attacks

Is hotel Wi-Fi safe from spoofing? That’s a no. Spoofing attacks via hotel Wi-Fi networks look very similar to data breaches, except the targets are guests instead of employees. In this case, you may select a pop-up ad that appears to be the hotel’s Wi-Fi (it may even have a legitimate-sounding name like “Hilton Free Guest Wi-Fi”) and get redirected to a phony hotel Wi-Fi login page controlled by the hacker.

Entering personal information such as your email address, phone number and credit card details on this site will send the info directly to the hacker. And you might be surprised by what a hacker can do with just an email address. They can use it for a wide range of nefarious schemes, including identity theft.

How to stay safe: Before logging in to the hotel Wi-Fi, make sure you confirm the network’s name with the front desk. Keep in mind that you should never have to enter sensitive information like your Social Security number to access the internet at a hotel. If you are asked to submit financial details to pay for the Wi-Fi, speak to the front desk first.

What should you do if you’re hacked while on vacation?

Let’s say your device is running slower than usual, you’re getting unusual pop-ups and ads, your applications are crashing or behaving suspiciously, your security software is disabled or your files are missing or modified. Bad news: These could be signs that your device has been hacked. If you notice any of these red flags while on vacation, Warmenhoven and Smith recommend taking the following steps:

• Disconnect your device from the hotel’s internet to close the gate to further malware.

• Notify the hotel that its network might be compromised.

• Change your passwords and enable multifactor authentication on important accounts, such as your email, social media and financial accounts.

• Freeze your credit cards and bank accounts, and continue monitoring them for suspicious activity.

• Run anti-malware software to detect any malicious applications and processes.

• Wipe your device’s memory by performing a factory reset.

• Contact a cybersecurity expert, who will have the technical expertise to help you ensure the malware doesn’t spread further.

How can you stay safe while using hotel Wi-Fi?

Major cybersecurity institutions, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and leaders from the private sector agree that while risks with public Wi-Fi can be mitigated, full elimination is not possible. So you’d be well advised to:

• Avoid accessing sensitive accounts or conducting financial transactions over public Wi-Fi without further protective measures.

• Use hardware-based security keys and biometric authentication if at all possible. 

• Keep your devices updated. 

When it comes to hotel Wi-Fi, the game has changed a lot since 2020. Cyber-related threats have become more advanced, and so have the tools used to fight them. According to IT security software company Netwrix, AI-powered security tools are a key way to protect devices connected to risky or untrusted networks.

Both travelers and hotel staff need to be vigilant. By using smart technologies like AI-based VPNs and following the experts’ steps above, you can keep your private information secure and your vacation in relaxation mode.

Why trust us

Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of articles on personal technology, arming readers with the knowledge to protect themselves against cybersecurity threats and internet scams as well as revealing the best tips, tricks and shortcuts for computers, cellphones, apps, texting, social media and more. For this piece on whether hotel Wi-Fi is safe, Brooke Nelson Alexander tapped her experience as a longtime journalist and tech reporter. We rely on credentialed experts with personal experience and know-how as well as primary sources including tech companies, professional organizations and academic institutions. We verify all facts and data and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources: 

• Adrianus Warmenhoven, cybersecurity expert at NordVPN
• Gregg Smith, CEO of Technology Advancement Center
• Netwrix: “AI-powered security tools are becoming a key way to protect devices connected to risky or untrusted networks.” 

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