LBSZone - Location and Privacy

Location Technology, Privacy, & Security

  • NEWS
    • Business
    • mobile mapping
    • fleet management
    • iOS
    • Android
    • Developer
    • infographics
  • Features
    • AroundtheWeb
  • Telematics
  • Drones
  • Events
  • Blog
  • CAREERS
    • Work from home
  • Subscribe
    • Weekly Newsletter
    • LBSzone Daily News Update
    • LBSzone PR Contacts
    • RSS
  • About Us
    • Partners Sites
      • GISuser
      • GeoJobsBIZ
      • LiDAR news
      • Amerisurv
    • Advertise
    • LBSzone Online Media Kit
    • Event Media Partner
You are here: Home / Press / Research / Public Wi-Fi Experiment Conducted Across the Globe Reveals Major Security Flaws in Wi-Fi Hotspots

Public Wi-Fi Experiment Conducted Across the Globe Reveals Major Security Flaws in Wi-Fi Hotspots

March 2, 2015 By LBSzone

Avast Exposes Huge Security Risks in Open Wi-Fi Habits — Public Wi-Fi Experiment Conducted Across the Globe Reveals Major Security Flaws in Wi-Fi Hotspots – Asian Users More at Risk than Europeans and Americans

avast

BARCELONA, Spain–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Avast Software, maker of the most trusted mobile and PC security in the world, today unveiled the results of a global Wi-Fi hacking experiment that exposed major security issues regarding the browsing habits of users around the globe. Avast mobile security experts traveled to cities in the United States, Europe, and Asia to observe public Wi-Fi activity in nine major metropolitan areas. They were equipped with a Wi-Fi-enabled laptop and an application that monitored local Wi-Fi traffic at 2.4 GHz frequency – a free app that is widely available. The experiment showed how easy it is to see browsing activity, searches, passwords, videos, emails, and other personal information.

“This experiment revealed that most mobile users aren’t taking adequate steps to protect their personal data and privacy from cybercriminals”

The study revealed that users in Asia are the most prone to attacks. More than half of the Web traffic in Asia takes place on unprotected HTTP sites, 97% of users connect to open, unprotected Wi-Fi networks, and seven out of ten password-protected routers use weak encryption methods, making it simple for them to be hacked. Users in San Francisco and Barcelona are the most likely to take steps to protect their Wi-Fi sessions, although the number is still very small as only 20% take precautions.

“This experiment revealed that most mobile users aren’t taking adequate steps to protect their personal data and privacy from cybercriminals”, said Jude McColgan, President of Mobile at Avast. “People wear a seat belt in the car to be safe, and they should use a security app when using public Wi-Fi.”

Beware of Unprotected Wi-Fi Networks

The study found that people around the world overwhelmingly prefer to connect to unsecured and unprotected Wi-Fi networks instead of password-protected networks. Mobile users in Asia were most likely to join open networks, while Europeans and Americans were slightly less so; In Seoul, 99 out of 100 users joined unsecured networks, compared with just 80 out of 100 in Barcelona and San Francisco.

1) Seoul: 99 out of 100 
2) Hong Kong: 98 out of 100 
3) Taipei: 97 out of 100 
4) Chicago: 96 out of 100 
5) New York: 91 out of 100 
6) Berlin: 88 out of 100 
7) London: 83 out of 100 
8) Barcelona: 80 out of 100 
9) San Francisco: 80 out of 100

Dangers of HTTP Browsing

Avast discovered that a significant portion of mobile users browse primarily on unsecured HTTP sites. Nearly half of the Web traffic in Asia takes place on unprotected HTTP sites, compared with one third U.S. traffic and roughly one quarter of European traffic.

Because HTTP traffic is unprotected, the Avast team was able to view all of the users’ browsing activity, including domain and page history, searches, personal login information, videos, emails, and comments. Websites like eBay, Amazon, Wikipedia, Craigslist, and Bing don’t use the HTTPS standard unless the user logs in. In every city, Avast was able to see examples of users looking at medical sites, insurance pages, banking, and adult videos—all on unsecured public Wi-Fi networks.

Weak Encryption

The majority of Wi-Fi hotspots Avast observed were protected through some form of encryption. However, often these methods were weak and could be easily hacked. Using WEP encryption in particular can be nearly as risky as forgoing password-protection altogether, as users tend to feel safer entering their personal information, but their data can still be accessed.

San Francisco and Berlin had the lowest percentage of weakly encrypted hotspots, while more than half of password-protected hotspots in London and New York and nearly three quarter of the Asian hotspots were vulnerable to attack.

1) Seoul: 70,1%
2) Taipei: 70,0%
3) Hong Kong: 68,5%
4) London: 54,5%
5) New York: 54,4%
6) Chicago: 45,9%
7) Barcelona: 39,5%
8) Berlin: 35,1%
9) San Francisco: 30,1%

Avast will be demonstrating a live Wi-Fi hack at their Mobile World Congress booth, and visitors can connect to the Avast Wi-Fi hot spot to experience a hack in action. Avast will also demonstrate its new Avast SecureMe app, which protects people from Wi-Fi threats. For more information on the Wi-Fi experiment, please visit Avast at booth 5K29, hall 5 at Mobile World Congress.

About Avast

Avast Software (www.avast.com), maker of the most trusted mobile and PC security in the world, protects more than 230 million people and businesses with its security applications. In business for more than 25 years, AVAST is one of the pioneers in the computer security business, with a portfolio that includes free antivirus for PC, Mac, and Android, to premium suites and services for both consumers and business. In addition to being top-ranked by consumers on popular download portals worldwide, AVAST is certified by, among others, VB100, AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, OPSWAT, ICSA Labs, and West Coast Labs.






Related articles:

  • Avast Experiment: What Happens to a Lost SmartphoneAvast Experiment: What Happens to a Lost Smartphone
  •  5G – The past, present, and future of the mobile industry evolution 5G – The past, present, and future of the mobile industry evolution
  • 13 Android Tips & Tricks You Probably Didn’t Know About13 Android Tips & Tricks You Probably Didn’t Know About
  • Mobile Device Management and SecurityMobile Device Management and Security
  • Free Technology Reading Tips, e-books, technology papers and resourcesFree Technology Reading Tips, e-books, technology papers and resources
  • Cheetah Mobile Releases List of Top 10 Travel Apps and Tips to Keep Smartphones Secure and Junk FreeCheetah Mobile Releases List of Top 10 Travel Apps and Tips to Keep Smartphones Secure and Junk Free

Filed Under: Research, TOP Press Tagged With: Public Wi-Fi Experiment

Recent Posts

Tuya Smart Releases New Smart Outdoor Solutions During CES 2021

Indoor Mapping Goes Mainstream with IMDFaaS

A self-driving vehicle from Mobileye's autonomous test fleet navigates the streets of Detroit. (Credit: Mobileye, an Intel Company)

CES 2021: Mobileye Innovation Will Bring AVs to Everyone, Everywhere

OmniVision Expands Image Sensor Family for Automotive Viewing Cameras With Higher 3MP Resolution and Added Cybersecurity

CES 2021: NGK to showcase its innovative power source EnerCera for maintenance-free IoT applications


shop for geogeek swag

twitter

Location Tech News

Tuya Smart Releases New Smart Outdoor Solutions During CES 2021

Indoor Mapping Goes Mainstream with IMDFaaS

CES 2021: Mobileye Innovation Will Bring AVs to Everyone, Everywhere

OmniVision Expands Image Sensor Family for Automotive Viewing Cameras With Higher 3MP Resolution and Added Cybersecurity

CES 2021: NGK to showcase its innovative power source EnerCera for maintenance-free IoT applications

How to get Instagram likes and followers for free

Smart Eye Previews New Aftermarket Driver Monitoring System at All-Digital CES® 2021

More Posts from this Category

Copyright Spatial Media LLC 2003 - 2015