TRA warns public against risks of free WiFi hotspots
dubai — Who doesn’t want WiFi on the go, especially if it’s free? But with connectivity and convenience come some risks, and guidelines.
The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) in the UAE issued a warning on Thursday regarding the use of WiFi in public areas. “Be wary of allowing your personal data to be visible to those around you while using your devices in public,” warned the TRA.
The warning was given in a tweet posted on their official account.
The TRA’s warning is founded on a study conducted by several experts. In an earlier Khaleej
report, technical experts are sounding a pertinent caution: It is not safe to use public WiFi networks for official work, sensitive data or transferring funds. If you shrug off this warning, you do so at your own peril. Additionally, the Dubai Police also issued a warning about the dangers of using public WiFi connections.
There are two kinds of public WiFi networks: secured and unsecured. An unsecured network can be connected to within range and without any type of security feature like a password or login. A secured network requires a user to agree to legal terms, register an account, or type in a password before connecting to the network. It may also require a fee or store purchase to gain access to the password or network. It is worth noting that many public networks in Dubai use some form or registration as a layer of security.
Some public WiFi spots have unencrypted networks which cyber criminals can use to dupe other users. Users are advised against opening links or attachments they receive via email of SMS from unknown sources while using public WiFi. The TRA has also listed guidelines on their website for general internet use in the country.
“The difference in public morality from one region to another has become a concern, as content that is acceptable in a region might be considered morally unacceptable in others. An example of such content is nudity and pornography easily available in the internet. These are not acceptable morally in the UAE,” the authority said.
“The age ratings that are adopted and filtered out internationally in most cases are still considered morally inappropriate in the UAE.”