CHICAGO (WLS) — As major U.S. airlines implement free in-flight Wi-Fi, the I-Team is delving into the potential security concerns associated with this appealing onboard feature.

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While the prospect of complimentary internet access at 35,000 feet is enticing, cybersecurity experts caution that it may also increase vulnerability, primarily because the service’s popularity means more users are online.

“To enjoy this benefit, you must be part of the airline’s loyalty program, but usage is free,” explained Katy Nastro from Going.com. “Airlines often trend toward matching each other’s innovations, and offering free Wi-Fi is no exception.”

However, cybersecurity specialists from Saily.com, affiliated with Nord VPN Security, warn that cybercriminals might be among your fellow passengers. They could employ tactics such as the “man in the middle” attack.

“In this scenario, the hacker effectively intercepts all of my device’s traffic,” explained Matas Cenys from Saily. “Every action I take on my device is routed through the hacker’s device.”

Much like public Wi-Fi on the ground, the hacker can build a fake login portal that looks much like the airline’s sign in page, it’s also known as an “evil twin.”

You could accidentally log into it if the bad actor near you has a strong signal.

“A good example recently happened in Australia where a person did exactly that year build. He performed the ‘evil twin’ attack and made this capture of websites on his own device trying to capture user emails and social media credentials and people entered that information,” Cenys said.

Remember, scammers prefer a goldmine of big crowds, making the cabin a target. So. how do you browse safely in the sky? First, look for duplicate Wi-Fi names.

“If you open the Wi-Fi list and you see a couple of names that are named exactly the same, for example, an airline Wi-Fi or something like that, and there are a couple of entries on it. This should raise suspicious for you,” Cenys said.

Make sure you ask the crew what the airline’s official Wi-Fi network is; choose HTTPS-only sites; avoid websites with personal information like banking and financial institutions; and disable file sharing and AirDrop while on public networks.

For even more enhanced security in the sky, you could also consider using a virtual private network, which creates an encrypted tunnel.

Airlines for America, the trade association for the leading U.S airlines, says safety and security of passengers is top priority and that cybersecurity programs are in place.

They added that airlines continue to invest heavily in technology to boost security and redundancy.