Microsoft warns travelers amid hotel Wi-Fi hacks
MANCHESTER, N.H. —
As summer travel continues, Microsoft is warning travelers to be cautious when connecting to hotel Wi-Fi networks after identifying a campaign in which hackers use fake login pages to steal account credentials.
Microsoft said Russian-backed hackers are compromising some hospitality-related Wi-Fi networks and displaying fake Microsoft 365 login pages that appear legitimate. The goal is to trick travelers into entering usernames and passwords, giving attackers access to their accounts.
The warning comes as many Granite Staters head out on vacation or welcome visitors staying at hotels across New Hampshire.
“Now that I think about it, I just automatically connected, and that does make me a little nervous,” said Beth Simpkins of Hanover, who frequently uses hotel Wi-Fi.
Peter Tran, a cybersecurity expert, said travelers should remember that not all hotel Wi-Fi systems are the same.
Larger hotel chains often use third-party providers with more robust security measures, while smaller hotels may rely on simpler guest Wi-Fi systems. Tran said that does not mean one type of hotel is inherently safer than another, but travelers should always verify they are connecting to the hotel’s legitimate network.
He said one of the biggest warning signs is being prompted to enter account credentials unexpectedly.
“If you get interrupted and a dialog box comes up asking for credentials when you haven’t initiated that process yourself, that’s a red flag,” Tran said. “Disconnect and notify the hotel.”
Tran also recommends avoiding online banking or accessing other sensitive accounts while using public Wi-Fi. Instead, he suggests using a virtual private network, or VPN, or a mobile phone hotspot whenever possible.
Microsoft also recommends enabling multi-factor authentication or passkeys to add another layer of protection if a password is compromised.