Don't let free Wi-Fi lull you into a false sense of security
Even logging into an e-mail web account such as Gmail means fraudsters can pick up your login details and use them later
Theft of sensitive information from cafe patrons surfing the internet at a free Wi-Fi hotspot is easy for cyber criminals, whether you are a wealthy entrepreneur or a server. Surfing the net for general information such as tourist sites while you are travelling or for what's on at your local cinema poses no threat, but activities such as online banking, checking investments online and shopping online should be avoided at public Wi-Fi hotspots. Even logging into an e-mail web account such as Gmail means fraudsters can pick up your login details and use them later. Jim Green, a security expert from IT security company GNL Cyber, says when you use a Wi-Fi hotspot, the data travelling to and from your device is being carried on radio frequencies that can be intercepted by anyone with a Wi-Fi-enabled device that has interception software on it. In what is known as a "man-in-the-middle" attack, the attacker sets up their own Wi-Fi access point with the same name (or SSID) as the free Wi-F...
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