Technology

What no one tells you about your cellular WiFi: the mistake that puts your security at risk

Here’s something that we all should know about our cell phones.

Born in Leeds, Joe finished his Spanish degree in 2018 before becoming an English teacher to football (soccer) players and managers, as well as collaborating with various football media outlets in English and Spanish. He joined AS in 2022 and covers both the men’s and women’s game across Europe and beyond.

Update: Jun 22nd, 2025 18:32 EDT

Nowadays, everyone’s phones are constantly on alert, even when we’re not. They collect data, scan for signals and ride the radio waves in silence as we get on with our business.

What many people don’t realise that keeping your phone’s Wi‑Fi turned on when you leave home can pose serious privacy and security risks. When Wi‑Fi is enabled, your phone constantly searches for networks to join.

This means it can automatically connect to open or public networks without you noticing, making your data vulnerable to interception. In addition, your device stores a list of previously connected Wi‑Fi networks, which could be used by attackers to track your movements or routines if they gain access to that data.

Another major risk is using public Wi‑Fi networks in places like shopping malls, cafés, or airports. These networks can be insecure or even malicious, and simply connecting to them may expose your personal information. Devices like Windows PCs or smartphones can automatically connect to these networks unless you tell them not to, which is why it’s critical to delete or “forget” networks you no longer use.

To improve your smartphone security, an article by Xataka recommends turning off Wi‑Fi when you leave home and relying on mobile data or pre-downloaded content when you’re outside. It also suggests regularly reviewing and forgetting Wi‑Fi networks you no longer need.

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Beyond that, it’s important to check which apps have access to your location via Bluetooth—something that’s often overlooked on Android phones—and limit unnecessary location permissions for your apps in general.

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