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Open Wi-Fi hotspots exposing unsuspecting users to data thieves

Unsecured, unverified public Wi-Fi hotspots open consumers up to exploitation by data thieves who can set up fake hotspots to spy on data traffic

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NEW DELHI, INDIA: We all buy cases, covers and bags to shield our favourite mobile devices from scratches and bumps. Most people won’t own a phone or tablet for long without wrapping some kind of protection around it.

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But while people are doing a good job of protecting their devices from physical harm, they’re leaving a less obvious but even more important area wide open. Unsecured, unverified public Wi-Fi hotspots open consumers up to exploitation by data thieves who can set up fake hotspots to spy on data traffic.

According to a recent F-Secure survey two out of three people connect to public WiFi hotspots at least once a month. But according to Sean Sullivan, Security Advisor at F-Secure, most never take care to protect their connection from snoops, even though VPN apps that offer privacy on Wi-Fi are readily available.

“Many people have no qualms about using public WiFi to connect while out and about, and most do it completely unprotected,” Sullivan says. “If you’re not protecting your device’s connection, whatever you do while connected to a public hotspot is like shouting in a crowded room. So while people are spending a lot on physical device protection, they’re spending zero on the part that’s really important. Their data, their privacy.”

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But isn’t setting up a fake hotspot difficult and too expensive to do? Not at all. For under 250 dollars (less than an iPad mini) a crook can purchase or cobble together a device that will imitate a legitimate Wi-Fi hotspot. They can then spy on consumers’ data traffic and harvest usernames, passwords and other personal details. So while a fancy leather cover may protect that tablet if you drop it, it won’t do a thing for your personal data if you’re surfing a poisoned hotspot.

“An iPad tablet cover costs 39 dollars. For well under that, you can get a year’s worth of connection protection to make sure your private data stays private while you’re connecting on the go,” Sullivan says. “If your device gets scratched or bumped, the damage is cosmetic. And nowadays if your screen is cracked, there are even repair services that will drive to you in a little car and fix it for you. But if your passwords or other private info are stolen, it’s much more difficult to re-secure your online accounts and to repair the damage to your personal reputation.”

F-Secure Freedome is a full security and privacy solution protecting the digital data that no fancy case or cover can secure. It protects users on public Wi-Fi. Even if a hotspot is being spied on, it encrypts your data so no one can read it.

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