How to Stay Safe on Public WiFi.

• Position: HACKERS

One of the biggest online threats for travelers is free public WiFi. Hackers often position themselves as free WiFi hotspots and steal personal information, credit card details, and other data--and many identity thieves are using wireless sniffers, a type of software designed to intercept and decode data when it is transmitted over a network.

"WiFi today is indispensable for travelers. We need it to book hotels, trips, experiences, and stay in contact with our family and friends. Even maps or travel itineraries are mostly online these days," says Daniel Markuson, a digital privacy specialist at NordVPN.

"By the way," he adds, "if you think your hotel's WiFi is more secure, it's probably not. Their job is to offer you comfort, not cybersecurity, so they typically put little to no effort in protecting their guest network."

If the network is left unprotected, chances are some cybercriminal is lurking there to steal your private data. On the other hand, hackers themselves often create rogue hotspots to trick users into thinking they are legitimate. If you see two similar WiFi names, ask the hotel's staff which is the real one. Finally, always avoid logging onto work or banking accounts while on public WiFi unless absolutely necessary.

You only should use the websites that have URLs starting with "https://"--the "s" means that it is a secure protocol and your data is encrypted properly. Utilizing https:// sites especially is important if...