Is Public Wi-Fi Safe?
HTTPS protects data in transit, but does not prove a website is honest.
Free video lesson · 1:13
Is Public Wi-Fi Safe?
Cybersecurity Basics for Beginners
Music: “Thinking Music” by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.
HTTPS protects data in transit, but does not prove a website is honest.
Read the video transcript
Public Wi-Fi is not automatically unsafe. Many websites and apps encrypt the information you send. On a website, H T T P S means the connection to that site is protected by encryption.
Think of sending a message through a sealed tube. Someone nearby cannot simply read the contents through the tube. But the person at the other end still receives your message.
If that other end is a scam website, encryption does not make the scammer honest. Check the address and use the real service, even when the browser shows a secure connection.
Ask the venue for the correct network name rather than joining a familiar-looking name at random. Do not ignore browser certificate warnings to get a page to load.
The useful distinction is the connection and the destination. A protected connection can still lead to the wrong place. Keep your software updated, and follow your workplace's rules when using its devices.
To keep learning, watch How Do You Download Software Safely? Then try What Is Multi-Factor Authentication?
The short answer
Public Wi-Fi is not automatically unsafe. Many websites and apps encrypt the information you send. On a website, H T T P S means the connection to that site is protected by encryption.
A simple example
Think of sending a message through a sealed tube. Someone nearby cannot simply read the contents through the tube. But the person at the other end still receives your message.
If that other end is a scam website, encryption does not make the scammer honest. Check the address and use the real service, even when the browser shows a secure connection.
Ask the venue for the correct network name rather than joining a familiar-looking name at random. Do not ignore browser certificate warnings to get a page to load.
The useful distinction is the connection and the destination. A protected connection can still lead to the wrong place. Keep your software updated, and follow your workplace's rules when using its devices.
Put it into practice
- Ask the venue which network belongs to it.
- Use the real website or app and respect certificate warnings.
- Keep software updated and follow school or workplace rules for managed devices.
Check your understanding
Does an encrypted connection prove a website is honest?
Answer
No. It protects communication with that destination. A scammer’s website can also use encryption.
Explore next
Follow the free video course one question at a time. Teams can practise these habits through security training. For the cryptography protecting your systems, explore a cryptography audit.