Public Wi-Fi hasn’t become safer over the years — attackers just became quieter.
Most people still think a VPN is only for “hiding your IP,” but on open networks, a VPN solves three much bigger problems:
🔐 1. Prevents local snooping
Anyone on the same café network can scan devices, attempt ARP spoofing, or harvest unencrypted traffic.
🚫 2. Stops rogue Wi-Fi clones
Attackers create networks like “Starbucks_Free_WiFi” and wait for devices to auto-connect.
🧭 3. Protects app traffic
People assume apps = safe.
Wrong. Many apps still leak metadata, DNS queries, or unencrypted API calls.
⚡ 4. Best practice today
Use:
• a VPN with modern protocols (WireGuard / NordLynx),
• DNS over HTTPS,
• automatic kill switch,
• MFA on key accounts.
https://smartadvisoronline.com/blog/vpn-for-public-wifi.html
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