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What is public Wi-Fi?

Public Wi-Fi is a wireless network offered in a place such as a cafe, hotel or station. It is often offered to many customers at once. It is convenient, but it is not private just because it is on offer. Attackers on the same network may be able to intercept or modify your data. 1

By Secordit. Last checked: 10 November 2026.

Go to the steps · All glossary terms

How it works

  1. If you need to use public Wi-Fi, check the network name with staff. An NCSC exercise describes a coffee-shop situation where two similarly named networks appear, and a customer might join the wrong one. 1
  2. The connecting-securely resource is a staff exercise for organisations, about remote work and work systems. In that exercise, people who need to log on to work systems are told to use a VPN. It also says only to use public Wi-Fi for browsing if they are not logging on to those services. 1
  3. NCSC guidance from 16 October 2017 was written about a WPA2 vulnerability known as KRACK. It still states that a private WPA2 network is more secure than a public cafe or hotel Wi-Fi service. HTTPS and VPNs protect data on connections that already use them. 2

How it can look

In a cafe, two wireless names look almost the same. The NCSC exercise says to check the network name with staff. If you think you joined the wrong network, the exercise tells staff to report it to their organisation. 1

What to know

  • Two similarly named networks appear in a cafe, hotel or station, and you have not checked the name with staff. 1
  • You are about to log on to a web service or work system over public Wi-Fi. You have not used the VPN the NCSC exercise describes. 1
  • You are treating 2017 KRACK steps as current public Wi-Fi advice. That page is dated 16 October 2017, and it was written about a WPA2 vulnerability. 2

What to do now

  1. If you need to use public Wi-Fi, check the network name with staff. If you think you joined the wrong network, tell the staff so they can report it to their organisation. 1
  2. If your employer requires a work VPN for work systems, follow their instructions. For everyday banking, the 2017 KRACK guidance points to HTTPS as the protection for that traffic as it leaves the device. 123
  3. Prefer a private WPA2 network over a public cafe or hotel service where you have that choice. On connections that already use HTTPS or a VPN, those protections still apply to the data they cover. 2

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How to protect yourself

  • Check the network name with staff before you join public Wi-Fi. 1
  • If you are in an organisation and need to log on to work systems, the staff exercise tells you to use a VPN. Keep that VPN updated. Households are not covered by the NCSC's detailed VPN guidance. 13
  • The NCSC device-security VPN page is written for organisations. It says individuals typically use VPNs for different reasons and are not covered there. 3

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to use cafe or hotel Wi-Fi for online banking?

The connecting-securely resource is a staff exercise for organisations, about remote work and work systems. The NCSC's detailed VPN guidance does not cover households. For everyday banking, the 2017 KRACK guidance points to HTTPS as the protection for that traffic as it leaves the device. If your employer requires a work VPN, follow their instructions. 132

Is a private home network safer than cafe Wi-Fi?

NCSC guidance dated 16 October 2017 states that a private WPA2 network is more secure than a public cafe or hotel Wi-Fi service. That page was written about a WPA2 vulnerability, and it is not current breaking news. The connecting-securely resource also mentions using WPA2 or greater and a strong router password for home Wi-Fi. 21

Does HTTPS make public Wi-Fi safe for everything?

The 2017 KRACK guidance says HTTPS and VPNs protect data on connections that already use them. The staff exercise tells organisation users to use a VPN for work systems. The NCSC's detailed VPN guidance does not cover households. 213

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Sources

  1. NCSC, Connecting securely micro exercise. Accessed 10 November 2026 (Europe/London).
  2. NCSC, 'Krack' Wi-Fi guidance. Accessed 10 November 2026 (Europe/London).
  3. NCSC, Virtual Private Networks. Accessed 10 November 2026 (Europe/London).
  4. Report Fraud, Report Fraud. Accessed 10 November 2026 (Europe/London).
  5. Report Fraud, Guide to reporting cyber crime and fraud. Accessed 10 November 2026 (Europe/London).
  6. Police Scotland, How to report a crime - Police Scotland. Accessed 10 November 2026 (Europe/London).
  7. Report Fraud, Reporting cyber crime and fraud or phishing attempts - Report Fraud. Accessed 10 November 2026 (Europe/London).