Consumers have a 'false sense of security' when using public Wi-Fi hotspots

Brits still use public Wi-Fi for things they should not, a new report by Norton by Symantec claims. By doing so, they’re putting a lot of their personal information at risk.

The report says most consumers have a "false sense of security" when using public Wi-Fi. Almost two thirds (65 percent) feel safe when they use public Wi-Fi, and less than a fifth (19 percent) use a VPN.

While online, on a public Wi-Fi, one in 12 admit watching porn. Out of those people, a quarter (24 percent) are doing it at work, while 47 percent have done it in hotels, or holiday rentals.

More than four in five (84 percent) have placed their information at risk, with 64 percent logging into personal email accounts, 52 percent logging into social media accounts, and 29 percent checking banking or financial data.

"There is a deep divide between what people think is safe or private when using public Wi-Fi versus the reality," says Nick Shaw, vice president and general manager at Norton by Symantec. "What someone thinks is private on their personal device can easily be accessed by hackers through unsecure Wi-Fi networks or even apps with privacy vulnerabilities."

You can find the full report on this link.

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