Free Wi-Fi? Can’t live without it

dubai — The promise of free Wi-Fi has a way of making people throw any caution that they have right out the window, and potentially put their personal data at the risk of being stolen by cybercriminals.

According to Norton by Symantec’s ‘Norton Wi-Fi Risk Report’, over 66 per cent of UAE consumers have admitted that they can’t wait for more than a few minutes before logging on to a Wi-Fi network. This includes them asking for the Wi-Fi password after arriving at a friend’s place, hotel, cafe, or other location. And, despite the fact that many of them are aware about the risks of using public Wi-Fi networks, more than a quarter will even go as far as checking their bank accounts or accessing their financial information online.

“Public Wi-Fi networks—like those in coffee shops, airports or hotels—are not nearly as safe as you think. Public Wi-Fi networks are the easiest place for hackers to attack people because security is extremely limited and lacks en-

The dangers posed by hackers is a reality that we should all be well aware of Tamim Taufiq, Head of Norton ME

cryption – even when the network is hosted by an established business. Even if they have a password, you’re sharing a network with tons of other people, which means your data is at risk,” said Scott Manson, cybersecurity lead for the Middle East and Africa region, Cisco.

Norton’s report found that nine in 10 UAE consumers put their information at risk when using public WiFi. In addition, 70 per cent think that

Unlike banking apps, many of the other apps that people use don’t encrypt the data Shehab Najjar, consultant

their personal information is safe when using Wi-Fi hotspots; however, 44 per cent cant tell if a public Wi-Fi network is secure or not. More worryingly, one in 10 users are willing to allow permission to access their social media accounts for free Wi-Fi; while 27 per cent of users say that they check their financial accounts on public Wi-Fi.

Speaking to reporters about the report’s findings on Monday, Tamim Taufiq, head of Norton ME, says that a key challenge is making users aware of the consequences of their actions when using public WiFi. “The dangers posed by hackers is a reality that we should all be well aware of. This is why it is very important that when you go to any place that offers free Wi-Fi, you ask the staff about how secure the network is, or you look around yourself for any signages that say that the network is protected.”

Shehab Najjar, a cyber security consultant, also spoke about the dangers associated with logging on to public Wi-Fi systems, and how easy it is for cybercriminals to gain access to sensitive data. “Within a matter of minutes a trained hacker can gain access to all sorts of information from a public Wi-Fi system. Unlike banking apps, many of the other apps that people use don’t encrypt the data. A hacker will easily be able to obtain your passwords to social media sites and gain access to other such personal data. All this data can then be used for malicious purposes.”