Mexico World Cup Wi-Fi Security Lacking

A security assessment of public Wi-Fi in Mexico's World Cup host cities reveals significant risks for visitors connecting to insecure networks.

A security study by Kaspersky has assessed the state of public wireless networks in Mexico's upcoming 2026 World Cup host cities: Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara. The research involved "wardriving," a method of scanning for Wi-Fi networks from a moving vehicle to analyze their security configurations. The goal was to understand the potential digital risks facing the large number of international visitors expected for the event. The findings indicate that a significant portion of public Wi-Fi access points are insecure. Many networks lack encryption entirely, while others rely on outdated and vulnerable protocols. These security gaps make it easy for attackers to intercept data, such as login credentials and sensitive company information, from unsuspecting users.

These findings are particularly relevant for businesses with employees who will travel to Mexico for the World Cup. Connecting to an insecure public network on a corporate device can expose sensitive company data and create a pathway for attackers to access internal systems. The report serves as a critical reminder for CTOs, IT managers, and security teams to reinforce their mobile and remote work security policies. Without proper precautions, employees could inadvertently leak confidential information or become victims of man-in-the-middle attacks, where an attacker secretly relays and possibly alters communications between two parties.