About 34% users of smartphone, tablet and laptop users don’t take any precaution while using public Wi-Fi hotspots, according to new survey by B2B International and Kaspersky Lab.
The latest Kaspersky Consumer Security Risks report reveals that about 14% were interested in banking or shopping online via any network that was accessible, while 13% of them checked the encryption standard of access point.
The security firm said that any Wi-Fi access point is a window to the Internet for all the devices attached to it.
"Every request from a device goes via an access point, and only then reaches the sites that users want to visit," the security firm added.
"Without any encryption of communications between users and the access point it’s a simple task for a cybercriminal to intercept all the data a user enters.
"That might include data sent to a bank, or an online store.
"Moreover, attacks like this are possible even if the hotspot is password protected and a secure https-connection between the required site and the user’s browser is established."
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Kaspersky Lab warns that the data delivered via public Wi-Fi can be easily captured, which offers cybercriminals with information about account logins and passwords for e-mail, e-banking, e-payment and social networks.
