With the risk of cyber threats targeting passengers flying by air on the increase, cybersecurity company, Kaspersky, has published a guide on how one can be safe while using in-flight Wi-Fi.
The availability of in-flight Wi-Fi has made air travel more convenient, allowing passengers to stay connected during their flights. However, this convenience comes with risks. Cybercriminals have found ways to exploit in-flight Wi-Fi by creating fake Wi-Fi networks to intercept user data.
“This page would possibly request some credentials, like email address and password or social network credentials, supposedly to sign in to the airline’s online services. This data can then be used by cybercriminals to hijack accounts and access personal information,” Kaspersky warns. A recent incident in Australia, where a passenger was arrested for setting up fake Wi-Fi hotspots at an airport and on a plane, is a case in point.
The availability of in-flight Wi-Fi has made air travel more convenient, allowing passengers to stay connected during their flights. However, this convenience comes with risks. Cybercriminals have found ways to exploit in-flight Wi-Fi by creating fake Wi-Fi networks to intercept user data.
cybersecurity company, Kaspersky.
“Once being connected to the airline’s media portal, they can not only have access to movies, music, games and other entertaining activities, but also can get Internet access for an additional fee,” Kaspersky says.
A Statista survey proves this, they found that almost 90 percent of respondents were willing to pay for Wi-Fi on a long-haul flight.
Kaspersky’s Lead Security Researcher, Maher Yamout, explains the risks: “The insidiousness of this kind of attack lies in the victims’ limited options: stuck on board of a plane, connected to what they believe is legitimate Wi-Fi, they have just two options: either to provide the requested information, or forgo all in-flight entertainment. Therefore, the chances of a successful attack are very high, which makes it extremely important for travelers to be vigilant so as not to lose personal data and more.”
Kaspersky’s safety tips for in-flight Wi-Fi
To help passengers stay safe and mitigate these risks, Kaspersky has provided several key tips for using in-flight Wi-Fi:
- Don’t connect to in-flight Wi-Fi just out of curiosity to see what’s on offer.
- Come prepared. Download movies and music to your devices beforehand so as not to rely on the airline’s entertainment options. That done, you probably won’t need in-flight Wi-Fi at all.
- If you still do need Wi-Fi, review the instructions in your seat pocket carefully. It should list the official Wi-Fi name and connection process.
- Be wary of discrepancies. If something about the Wi-Fi connection seems off compared to the instructions, or if you’re asked to enter detailed personal information like email, passwords, passport details, or payment information, disconnect immediately and alert a flight attendant. Confirm with them whether this information is actually required to use the Wi-Fi. Show them the device screen so that they can verify the legitimacy of the connection interface.
- Avoid downloading anything during the flight. Connecting to the plane’s network should never require installing apps, plugins, or certificates. If asked to install anything of the sort — disconnect immediately by enabling airplane mode.
- If you connect to Wi-Fi to use the in-flight Internet, try enabling your VPN as soon as the connection is established. If the VPN can’t be turned on, minimise your online activity, and never log in to sensitive services such as online banking, government websites, or email.
- Keep the number of devices you connect to the in-flight Wi-Fi to a minimum — preferably no more than one.
- If you do connect, before landing, make sure to go to the Wi-Fi settings and “forget” the airline network. You can then put your device in airplane mode, as required by the aviation regulations.
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