Hotel Free WiFi Scams: How do hackers steal your data via hotel free Wi-Fi? Here’s the full story.

Hotel Free WiFi Scams: If you love traveling and habitually connect to a hotel's free Wi-Fi the moment you arrive, this news might come as a shock. Recently, Microsoft—one of the biggest names in the tech world—released a report revealing that hackers are stealing people's personal data and bank account details via free Wi-Fi networks in hotels and conference halls. Cyber ​​experts note that travelers often connect to free Wi-Fi without a second thought just to save on mobile data, and hackers exploit this carelessness.

How does this scam work?

Microsoft’s report has dubbed this new cyberattack "CaptiveCrunch" (Storm-2945). Typically, when you connect to a hotel's Wi-Fi, a webpage opens on your phone screen requiring you to enter details like your room number, name, or mobile number; technically, this is known as a "captive portal." Hackers have now begun compromising this specific page. As soon as a traveler accesses it, hackers intercept their internet traffic.

Subsequently, a fake pop-up or message appears on the screen, claiming that Google Chrome or Windows requires an update and prompting the user to click a link to proceed. When a user clicks that update button, dangerous malware is downloaded onto their phone or laptop. Before the user even realizes it, their entire device falls under the hackers' control.

What exactly do hackers steal?

Once a virus infiltrates your phone, hackers can monitor your every move. They can obtain your net banking passwords, credit and debit card numbers, and even your UPI PIN. Additionally, your Facebook, Instagram, and email passwords could be stolen. This virus allows hackers to access private photos, videos, and important documents stored on your phone.

How can you protect yourself from these hackers?

The safest way to avoid this is to simply not use hotel Wi-Fi; instead, use your mobile data. If using hotel Wi-Fi is unavoidable, download a reliable VPN app on your phone. Activating a VPN secures and encrypts your data, making it unreadable to hackers. Furthermore, if you are prompted to update any app, browser, or software while connected to Wi-Fi, cancel the update immediately.