FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - how do I know if an aiport free wi-fi access point is fake?
Old Aug 2, 2012, 5:16 pm
  #5  
Mike Jacoubowsky
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Redwood City, CA USA (SFO/SJC)
Programs: 1K 2010, 1P in 2011, Plat for 2012,13,14,15 & 2016. Gold in 17 & 18, Plat since
Posts: 8,826
Another thing to look for is an HTTPS connection anytime personal information is requested (meaning your browser might display https://whatever.com instead of http://whatever.com). I haven't heard of fake sites with HTTPS protocol. Yet. Of course, if it's a free wifi hotspot, with nothing financial going on (no credit card info), there may not be a need for HTTPS, so the lack of HTTPS wherever you log in doesn't imply it's fake (unless financial info is being requested), but the presence of HTTPS is a pretty good indicator it's real.
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