The Kozhikode city police have cautioned the public about reckless use of unprotected WiFi hotspots in public places which give unfettered access to prying hackers. A social media campaign is also under way through the official Facebook and Instagram pages of the police to sensitise Internet users who use such unprotected WiFI networks for free downloads and online gaming activities.
Cyber cell officials said confidential banking details and passwords could be easily hacked using such unsecured WiFi points, where tracking of invisible hands would be difficult. Unsafe applications installed on mobile phones will further facilitate easy entry of such hackers to individuals’ privacy, they added.
“Though technically skilled persons can adopt a number of protective measures to keep hackers at bay, a majority of neo-literates in the world of Internet and mobile technology are unable to resist such challenges easily. It is better not to use such open networks in public places while travelling or doing banking transactions,” said a cyber expert with the Kerala Police Cyberdome. He explained that leakage of confidential data and login credentials might not come to the attention of individuals at the time of browsing through such risky networks.
Cyber cell officials also warned about the possibility of spreading malware through such unsecured networks. Creating pop-up windows to misguide users and prompt them to install the malware is a common trickery adopted by hackers using unprotected WiFi networks, they pointed out.
Meanwhile, efforts to identify unsecured WiFi hotspots in the city are yet to be intensified in view of safety measures. In Kozhikode city, migrant workers are reportedly the majority who explore such free WiFi points. Though there were a few surprise inspections earlier to identify unprotected WiFi hubs, it was suspended following lesser number of complaints about hacking.
Published - February 05, 2023 09:37 pm IST
