Wi-Fi evil twin

A Wi-Fi evil twin is a fake hotspot with the same name as a real one, set up so that people connect and the attacker can watch their traffic.

Wi-Fi evil twin: A Wi-Fi evil twin is a rogue wireless network that copies the name of a trusted hotspot, such as a cafe, hotel, airport or station network. Your phone may join it automatically, and the attacker running it can see unprotected traffic or steer you to fake login pages.

Free Wi-Fi in railway stations, malls, hotels and airports is a common place for this trick. The attacker sets up a network named exactly like the real one, often with a stronger signal. Some portals then ask for your phone number and OTP, or tell you to install a profile or app to get online. That is the real catch.

Good habits cut the risk. Ask staff for the exact network name and password. Avoid banking, UPI and shopping on public Wi-Fi and use mobile data instead. Turn off automatic joining of open networks, and forget networks you no longer use. Never install an app or certificate just to get free internet. If you did join a doubtful network, log out, forget it and change any password you typed from a safe connection.

Tips

• Use mobile data, not public Wi-Fi, for UPI, banking and shopping.
• Turn off automatic connection to open networks and delete old saved networks.
• Use Safeavio's Wi-Fi safety check to review a network before you rely on it.

Related terms