Security on unsecured public WiFi networks is a rising concern for travelers, while the vast majority don't exercise any precautions on public networks.
The results were compiled by hot spot security specialists Anchorfree from a survey of 2,203 travelers in the US, which asked about their attitudes related to WiFi and security.
The results show that public WiFi is very much a real concern of travelers, with 4 out of 5 worried about data theft while using public WiFi. That's a significant portion of the 80% of travelers that use freely available WiFi while traveling.
Even those not using the public WiFi do nothing to protect their privacy: 84% of those surveyed have no protection enabled on their devices.
Smartphones are also showing more vulnerability, as device penetration has led to a three fold increase in the usage of WiFi on mobile. Many of these devices are not protected, and are possible points of intrusion.
Here's how it all shakes out:
Full size infographic here.
CEO David Gorodyansky on the results of the survey:
“In the age of tablets, smartphones and ubiquitous hotspots, many travelers don’t realize that they are unsuspectingly sharing sensitive information with others on public Wi-Fi,”said Anchorfree’s
“It’s troubling that while most travelers are concerned about online hacking, very few know how, or care enough, to protect themselves. Looming threats — from cyber thieves to malware and snoopers — are skyrocketing on public Wi-Fi and travelers need to be vigilant in protecting themselves.”
The full table of results is available here.
NB: Identity theft image courtesy Shutterstock.