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Chinese warned against using web in public

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CIOL Bureau
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BEIJING, CHINA: People in Beijing who use Wi-Fi facilities in public places like coffee shops and libraries are being warned to take care of their personal details as their computers could be hacked.

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A researcher at an institute affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences said it was easy for a hacker to create a Wi-Fi network in public places, and anyone who gets connected with the hacker's network risks having their information stolen.

A man named Zhao who often went to a well-known coffee shop chain, said he stopped going online there.

"I seldom use Wi-Fi in public places as nowadays there are too many hackers and loopholes in internet," he was quoted as saying by the China Daily.

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Others seemed less concerned about the risk.

Noelle Herring from California who is currently studying in China said she always uses Wi-Fi through a laptop or mobile phone in public places.

"What's the big deal? The worst thing that could happen to me is that I lose my credit number and password to hackers. Even then I am not too worried, as I have insurance for my credit card," she said.

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Another woman, a sales manager surnamed Ding, said she only checks news and e-mail in public places, and would check financial accounts at home.

She said "hackers have targets" -- people in "senior positions who have business secrets".

Yu Guofu, a lawyer specialising in internet cases, said hackers who set up fake wireless networks faced up to seven years in prison if caught.

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