Popular security provider GFI Software has warned people to be wary of using unencrypted public Wi-Fi networks. The commuters in London have been warned that while they use public Wi-Fi services which are offered by Tube Stations across London, they could be subject to risks.
During last year’s Olympics, the free Wi Fi service was rolled out across London’s Underground stations by the broadband provider Virgin Media. However, since the beginning of 2013, the company has scaled back the availability of the free services. This means that people who are not subscribers of Virgin Media, EE or Vodafone Customers have to pay to access the service.
Moreover, 50 London Underground stations also have the option to connect to public Wi-Fi services which are offered by The Cloud. GFI has said that using such services can compromise the security of the commuter’s devices and their data. This can even expose them to attacks by opportunistic hackers.
Phil Bousefield, the general manager of IT operations at GFI, said that the Wi-Fi services of Tube network do not have any encryption in place, this means that the data can be intercepted easily. Bousfield also warned that the wireless data could be intercepted by anyone who have an inexpensive packet sniffing software installed.
