Q >> I like to work at coffee shops and sometimes rent a desk at a co-working facility. In both instances, I’ve been curious whether the Wi-Fi connection is actually secure. Am I putting my computer at risk by using these free wireless connection?

A >> Based on my experience at various cafés in our community and visits to co-working facilities like Kiln and Founder Central, you’re not the only person trusting free internet access.

Unfortunately, the answer is that yes, you are putting your data and even your online accounts at risk. But don’t panic. It’s akin to leaving your car unlocked overnight; your vehicle is at risk, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be stolen.

The more networks limit access, the less risky they are. Also, wireless standards have improved security, with both Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 adding more robust encryption and other protections to network traffic.

The question still remains, who else is connected to the network while you’re using it?

Most modern internet programs utilize their own encrypted connections, particularly web browsers. That’s why you should always look for the padlock icon in the address bar which indicates it’s an “https” (“s” for secure) connection. Those websites are safe, even on an unsafe network, because the encryption is between your computer and the remote web server.

Virtual private networks FTW

Where things get dicey is with older programs. An email client might connect to a remote mail server without encrypting its communications. That traffic could then ostensibly be detected by a malicious user on the network.

Tip: Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail and the like should all be safe, because they use secure connections. You can go into Settings > Accounts to confirm that, if you’re curious.

To be truly safe with a wireless internet connection, however, your best bet is to use what’s known as a Virtual Private Network (or “VPN”). It’s a handy utility that encrypts all traffic between your computer and its remote server.

There are quite a few options for VPN programs, and you can install them on Windows, MacOS, Chromebooks, Linux systems, Android and iOS devices. I use ExpressVPN and have also had good experiences with NordVPN and Surfshark.

There are some free alternatives, but this is a service that I suggest you pay for. Free VPNs are rather notorious for selling connectivity data, which defeats the entire purpose of the program.

Having said all of this, let me wrap up by reiterating that just because you “could” theoretically have your data monitored on a public Wi-Fi network that doesn’t mean that it will actually occur.

One more tip: Turn off file and system sharing before someone tries to gain network access to your data. Just to be safe.

Dave Taylor has been involved with the online world since the beginning of the Internet. He runs the popular AskDaveTaylor.com tech Q&A site and invites you to subscribe to his weekly email newsletter at AskDaveTaylor.com/subscribe/ You can also find his entertaining gadget reviews on YouTube at YouTube.com/AskDaveTaylor.