Free WiFi at the airport, in a café, or at a hotel seems like a godsend. But it is precisely these networks that are increasingly becoming a tool for hackers. So-called “Evil Twin” WiFi can mimic a legitimate connection and, within minutes, rob travelers of their cryptocurrencies, access data, and entire wallets.
Imagine this scenario: after a 16-hour flight, you are tired, SIM card stores are closed, and you urgently need to transfer cryptocurrencies. You connect to “Free Airport WiFi.” A few hours later, your funds are gone, sent to an unknown wallet. This is what an Evil Twin attack can look like.
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How “Evil Twin” works
Evil Twin is a fake WiFi network that clones a legitimate connection – for example, “Airport Free WiFi” or “Hotel Guest Network.” Behind it is an attacker waiting for the victim to connect. Once that happens, they can eavesdrop on traffic, redirect users to fake login pages, and collect sensitive data. In extreme cases, they can trick victims into entering their seed phrase, i.e., the key to their cryptocurrency wallet.
Last year, the Australian Federal Police charged a man who operated fake WiFi hotspots at an airport that mimicked the official network. The goal was to obtain the personal data of unsuspecting travelers.
According to Steven Walbroehl, co-founder of cybersecurity firm Halborn, Evil Twins most often appear at airports, cafes, hotels, transportation hubs, conference centers, and tourist areas—anywhere people are desperately looking for “free WiFi.” “They are much more common than people think,” confirms 23pds, security director at SlowMist. “And there are still plenty of people who fall for them.”
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Connecting to a fake network doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be robbed
The good news is that connecting to a fake network doesn’t automatically mean you’ll lose your cryptocurrencies. If the user doesn’t enter their private key, seed phrase, or other sensitive information, their wallet will usually remain safe.
But the reality is more complicated. “Even if an attacker doesn’t get your private key, they can capture your login credentials to an exchange, email, or 2FA codes. This is often enough to quickly withdraw funds from centralized accounts,” Walbroehl warns on the Cointelegraph server.
In addition, attacks often use fake login pages, fake update prompts, installation of “helper tools,” or direct requests to enter the seed phrase. “Unfortunately, it still happens that people actually write down their seed phrase,” says 23pds.
When there is no alternative to a public network
Ideally, public WiFi should not be used for working with cryptocurrencies at all. Experts recommend limiting risky operations when traveling, such as transfers, security changes, or connecting new applications and services. It is better to access exchanges via saved bookmarks or manually typed addresses, rather than via links in search results. Automatic network connection should be turned off, and whenever possible, it is safer to use your own mobile hotspot.
If there is no other option than public WiFi, Walbroehl says it is necessary to use a trusted VPN that encrypts traffic. At the same time, users should only connect to networks whose names have been confirmed by the staff of the location where they are staying.
In January, a user of the X platform going by the nickname The Smart Ape reported that his crypto wallet had been stolen after he used hotel WiFi and made a series of “stupid mistakes.” Although it was not directly an Evil Twin network, the case showed how easy it is to manipulate users on public connections using similar methods.
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Three layers of defense on the road
Nick Percoco, head of security at the Kraken crypto exchange, also warns of the risks associated with traveling, having warned in the summer about low security awareness at crypto conferences. According to 23pds, the ideal approach is simple and multi-layered: don’t touch your main long-term savings while traveling, create a special “travel” wallet with a limited amount of funds, and use a small hot wallet that is not connected to your main reserves for everyday small payments.
Public WiFi is not evil in itself. However, when combined with fatigue, stress, and the need to act quickly, it can become a gateway to one of the most costly mistakes a cryptocurrency user can make. All it takes is one wrong click.
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