Do not ignore Google's warning.

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Millions of you are still connecting your phones to networks that can expose passwords and financial data in seconds. Google and U.S. security agencies have already warned about the risk. But new data now shows the threat is getting worse.

“Avoid using public Wi-Fi whenever possible,” Google warns, “as these networks can be unencrypted and easily exploited by attackers.” Despite this, a new mobile security report shows millions are still connecting anyway. And when the device is a work phone, that risk doesn’t stop with you.

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In its 2026 mobile threat report covering Android and iOS, Jamf reports that 18% of employees still “connect to risky hotspots (which) open the door to infrastructure threats like rogue access points or Adversary-in-the-Middle attacks.” That’s especially true “if devices are not configured to address this risk.”

Almost all phones are not.

In cybersecurity, this advice to avoid public Wi-Fi is almost as contentious as the advice to avoid public charging points. The reality though, is that cyber experts pouring scorn on warnings from these tech firms will have set their phones up properly, will always apply updates, and are less likely to fall victim to attacks.

For normal users, the risks are much higher. Jamf also warns that in more than half of organizations, “at least one device has a critically out-of-date operating system. An out-of-date OS means unpatched, exploitable vulnerabilities. Automating and enforcing updates goes a long way to protect your devices.”

America’s NSA says “accessing public Wi-Fi hotspots may be convenient to catch up on work or check email, but public Wi-Fi is often not configured securely. Using these networks may make users’ data and devices more vulnerable to compromise, as cyber actors employ malicious access points, redirect to malicious websites, inject malicious proxies, and eavesdrop on network traffic.”

Even TSA has warned travelers to avoid these networks. "Don’t use free public Wi-Fi,” especially “if you’re planning to make any online purchases.” TSA also warns you should “never ”enter any sensitive info while using unsecured Wi-Fi.”

“Networks and web risks threaten even the most secure devices,” Jamf warns. “Without proper configuration, your data is exposed. Phishing and other web risks continue to run rampant. Attackers mimic popular sites across multiple categories of online content: entertainment, business, utility and finance. And users fall for them every day, especially as generative AI helps attackers advance techniques.”

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While avoiding public Wi-Fi networks where there’s any risk of compromise is critical, updating your device is much more so. To ensure built-in protections “are as effective as possible,” Google says, “always install the latest OS updates and security patches from your device manufacturer.”

Last year, Zimperium warned that “without the right protections in place, (mobile) devices can become serious liabilities — especially during travel, when vigilance is low, free public-Wi-Fi are everywhere, and attackers know exactly how to strike.”

That risk has not changed — if anything, it’s getting worse.