David Dada, an information security specialist said that device users who use the internet over free WiFi inadvertently expose their passwords and other crucial bank details to hackers.
Dada, who spoke on Channels Television’s program on Monday, stated that one of the fundamentals of securing online transactions is to avoid connecting to free WiFi in public locations since it compromises every user’s privacy.
“When you are using unsecured WiFi, a lot of your transactions have been spoofed by someone else, and somebody else is watching what you are doing.
“You go to the supermarket, you go to the airport, you go to public places and you see unsecured WiFi and you decide to log in. The moment you log on to that, it is very dangerous,” he stated.
Dada said he has the power to build up what he refers to as the ‘evil twin’ network and make it free, adding that those who are lured to it inadvertently give up something in exchange.
“When you see free WiFi, you are actually paying for it in a way. I give you free internet but I am going to take your information.
“I am gonna your passwords, your username, and tokens and I will store it somewhere. You get off my network, I go somewhere and pick all the things in your bank accounts and I go home and you can’t trace me anywhere,” he said.
According to the expert, regardless of the security platform a user has on his or her mobile device, once free WiFi is utilized, digital footprints are left behind.
“The moment you get onto that free WiFi, you have excluded all security for your phone, so it is safer to stay away from it,” he said.
Dada further stated that the mix of phishing and social engineering accounts for around 90% of people’s vulnerability.
