Captive Portal Phishing

What is Captive Portal Phishing?

A captive portal is the page that appears when you connect to certain public Wi-Fi networks, asking you to accept terms, enter an email address or log in before accessing the internet. Captive Portal Phishing abuses this familiar process by creating a fake login page that looks like a legitimate service.

An attacker may set up a fake Wi-Fi network in a café, hotel, airport or other public location and redirect connected users to a fraudulent portal. The page may imitate a familiar service and ask for Google, Instagram, email or other account credentials. If the user enters this information, it can be captured by the attacker and potentially used to access their accounts.

To stay safe, be cautious when a Wi-Fi login page suddenly asks for sensitive account passwords. Check the network name and, when possible, confirm the official Wi-Fi details with the venue. Avoid entering important passwords into unfamiliar pages, look carefully at the website address, and use multi-factor authentication on your accounts for an additional layer of protection.