Beware: Free public WiFi poses threat to personal data!
Avoid personal banking, online shopping on unsecured networks, say cops
Hyderabad: Free Wi-Fi is available just about everywhere around us, right from small coffee shops to hotels, bus stations, railway stations and tourist spots. While this, on one hand, might make lives a bit easier, it also poses security risks to personal data on our laptops and smartphones.
According to Cyberabad Cybercrime Police, while an unsecured network can be connected to within the range and without any type of security features 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.
Police have warned that regardless of the connection type, one should always use public Wi-Fi with caution. They have urged citizens not to use Wi-Fi in public places for banking purposes.
“Never access your personal bank accounts or sensitive personal data on unsecured public networks. Even secured networks can be risky. Be very cautious, in case you need to access these accounts on public Wi-Fi,” officials said.
In emergencies, when one is unable to connect to a secured network, using an unsecured network would be safer if the connection requires some sort of login or registration, they advised.
Cyber experts said leaving the laptop or smartphone unattended for a long time in a public place can also be dangerous as someone could steal your data.
Officials said online shopping using public Wi-Fi requires personal information and that could include bank account and retailer login credentials. It is a risky affair.
“Turn off automatic connectivity in your gadgets while travelling, especially to unfamiliar places. Bluetooth connectivity in public places can also pose a huge risk to cybersecurity. Hackers can look for open Bluetooth signals to gain access to your device. Keeping this function on your devices ‘off’ is utmost important,” an official said.
The Cyberabad Cybercrime police urged citizens to be alert and in case of money fraudulently being withdrawn from bank accounts, to approach the police.
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