Is password-protected Wi-Fi safe?

It's better than an open network, but everyone with the password shares it, and the owner still sees your traffic.

Can I use my bank on airport Wi-Fi?

Banking apps use encryption, but mobile data or a VPN is the safer choice.

Does a VPN drain the battery?

A little, because it encrypts your data. On most phones the difference is small.

Is Public Wi-Fi Safe? Real Risks and How to Stay Protected

By Leonardo Araújo, CEO of Leaven Marketing · Information checked on October 20, 2026

Not entirely. On public Wi-Fi, whoever runs the network sees which sites you open, and criminals can set up fake networks with names that look like the café's or the airport's. HTTPS protects the content, but not everything.

The most common risks

Evil twin networks: someone creates “Airport_Free_WiFi” and captures the traffic of whoever joins.
Fake login pages asking for your email or password to “unlock” the internet.
Open networks: anyone connected can try to read traffic from non-HTTPS sites.
The network owner sees the list of sites you visit.

How to protect yourself

Confirm the network name with staff.
Avoid typing bank passwords on public Wi-Fi.
Check the padlock and don’t ignore certificate warnings.
Turn off auto-join for open networks.
Use a VPN so your traffic leaves your device encrypted.

What a VPN solves

Risk	Does a VPN help?
Network sees the sites you open	yes
Traffic capture on non-HTTPS sites	yes
Fake network intercepting traffic	yes, once the VPN is on
Fake login page asking for your data	no; don’t type your data

According to NordVPN, its Kill Switch cuts the internet if the VPN drops, and Threat Protection blocks known scam sites. See the NordVPN plans.

Sources

NordVPN: pricing (October 20, 2026)
NordVPN: features (October 20, 2026)

Is public Wi-Fi safe?