The BBC reports
that there is currently one Wi-Fi hotspot for every 150 people in the
world, but these unmonitored hotspots can potentially cause problems,
experts have warned.
ESET security expert Mark James highlighted that people’s desire for a
‘free lunch’ shouldn’t cloud their judgement when it comes to security
and privacy issues, especially in cases where home broadband solutions
are opened up to subscribers on the same provider: “I think it opens a
few big security questions, like who is responsible for the router that
is hosting the Wi-Fi spot? Has the end user done all they can to ensure
that the default passwords are changed and that their device has not
been compromised? Has the owner of the router been fully informed on how
to opt-out if they so wish?” explained James. “Open Wi-Fi spots are a
breeding ground for malware, and mobile security is becoming a much
bigger concern.”
James warned that with the smartphone and tablet usage on the rise,
mobile platforms are just as viable a target for malware as desktop
computers, if not more so: “Often the end user does not see a mobile
device as a security hazard in the same way they might view a desktop,
but if you log the time people spend on each, you would probably find
that mobile wins. Operating System updates and application updating is
part of desktop life, but when was the last time you checked your mobile
phone to see if the software could be updated?”
The Independent estimates
that there will be 47.7 million public hotspots in the world by the end
of the year, with France having the most, followed by the USA and
United Kingdom. By 2018, the number of hotspots is expected to reach one
for every four Americans.
“Virtually everything we do these days requires internet access, and
we strive for 100% coverage, often looking for internet availability
before anything else and that reinforces the need for increased
security,” warned James. “Free Wi-Fi is great for keeping up with
Facebook or email, but the amount of information being exchanged is
frightening. The Wi-Fi on the London Underground train network
reportedly consumes more than 3TB per day,” he added.
