Can we talk about the coffee shop Wi-Fi security issue

I stopped by a local coffee spot called Brew Haven near downtown last Tuesday. They have a sign saying 'Free Wi-Fi' but no password at all. I saw at least 6 people on their laptops including one guy logging into his bank. I get that they want it easy for customers but it's a huge risk with no encryption. I told the barista and she just shrugged said nobody complained before. Am I the only one who thinks cafes should at least put up a basic password for the network?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_thomas1mo ago

Wait, valc91, did you actually see the traffic yourself or just guess it was risky?

valc911mo ago

That Brew Haven situation sounds sketchy. I had the same thing happen at a place called The Daily Grind over on 5th Street last month. A guy next to me was checking his credit card statement on their open network and I almost said something but didn't want to be pushy. It is a real risk because anyone with a laptop can see that traffic. The barista shrugging it off is annoying too since a simple password takes two minutes to set up. You are right to be concerned about that.

the_sam1mo agoMost Upvoted

Wait, @valc91 is that true? You actually watched a guy pull up his credit card statement on open Wi-Fi? And nobody said anything? That's terrifying, man. People really don't get how easy it is to grab that stuff.