Is it safe to use public wifi with iOS 10?

[Sodium Chloride]

Is it safe to use public wifi with iOS 10 and an iPad Pro for doing online banking, online shopping or checking your email?

Does iOS 10 have a built-in security that will prevent anyone from intercepting my data or gaining access to my email and banks while using a public wifi?

 

[jbancasto]

No. It has the ability to help protect you from tracking, etc., but nothing to really protect you from using public WiFi. Your best choice, if you were to use public wifi (I avoid it at all possible cost) is to use a VPN. My VPN of choice is TunnelBear. I would really, really avoid visiting sensitive sites like banking when using public wifi unless you have a VPN.

 

[Sodium Chloride]

I would really, really avoid visiting sensitive sites like banking when using public wifi unless you have a VPN.

What if I use apple SIM card while in public? Do I still need VPN for that? Is that the most convenient option provided that I don't mind paying monthly fee with for the cellular connection?

 

[jbancasto]

My best practice for visiting sensitive sites is to always use a VPN, if you have it. If you are using a cellular connection and not public wifi, in theory you are “more protected”, but your provider will still have access to what you visit, etc. It’s not like they are snooping on where you are going and breaking into your accounts, and it is better than using public wifi where others can gaining access to what you are looking at. If you are using the SIM and mobile network, the choice is yours. It’s better than public wifi, but still not as secure as a VPN.

 

[Just_Me_D]

Is it safe to use public wifi with iOS 10 and an iPad Pro for doing online banking, online shopping or checking your email?

As-is? Heck No. With a trusted VPN connection? Yes

Does iOS 10 have a built-in security that will prevent anyone from intercepting my data or gaining access to my email and banks while using a public wifi?

You can configure a VPN connection via the settings, but that’s about as close to ‘built-in’ you’re gonna get.

 

[Sodium Chloride]

What if I do not do anything personal while using public wifi. No email, no online shopping, no banking, not even visiting any site that requires a user name and a password. Just watching YouTube videos or browsing news websites. Would it be safe to do that without using VPN?

 

[Just_Me_D]

In a simple sense, yes, it would be safe. Having said that, a snooper could see what sites you’re visiting, what video links you’ve selected, etcetera, and if you’re okay with that then so be it.