Users data at risk on public Wi-Fi, says report

LAHORE:Public Wi-Fi is quite popular at cafes, airports, or abroad during vacation or business trips. Despite the convenience and perceived necessity of staying connected, these common situations require vigilance to ensure the safety and protection of personal data.

It is important to be aware of security considerations when connecting to these unrestricted networks. Sometimes, scammers create fake Wi-Fi networks or compromise existing ones. They may use names that are very similar to legitimate networks to trick users into connecting. Once connected, personal information such as social media logins, banking details and email addresses become vulnerable to interception and misuse.

However, the CM Maryam Nawaz Free Wifi is safe for the users as they are not asked to provide their details while login to use it. The Punjab government initially has launched free Wi-Fi access for emergency use in Lahore, instead of signup Wi-Fi service to protect the user data leakage.

International cybersecurity company, Kaspersky, in a recent awareness report launched for free Wi-Fi users identified there are effective ways users can protect themselves and ensure their data remains secure despite the concerns of date stealing on free public Wi-Fi spots.

Sohaib Sultan Deputy Chief Telecommunication Punjab Safe City Authority talking to The News said that users’ data on CM Maryam Nawaz Free Wi-Fi is protected and safe as no signup details are asked from them which is different than earlier Punjab Free Wi-Fi services in which signup details were required. The step is taken to avoid the misuse of user data as once the information is fetched by the network anyone within the system can sell the information for meagre gains.

‘The project was launched on 2 May, 2024, with 50 spots in Lahore now expanded to 200 sites and the target is 450 sites. Furthermore, in the next phase, this service is expanded to Kasur and Nankana and finally to all 41 districts of Punjab’, Sultan added. The free Wi-Fi service is provided from an already deployed safe city network which is connected with the fibre and strict security firewalls and other system security protocols. These are also highly secure and strictly monitored.

The government’s demand was deployment of free Wi-Fi services in the designated public places, especially schools, hospitals, parks, etc. The PSCA already has 1,700 camera sites in Lahore. The PSCA deployed CM Maryam Nawaz Free Wi-Fi using these access points which brought the cost of the project to zero as these Wi-Fi hotspots are enabled at the designated points.

These sites are enabled in accordance with the general audience requirements of free connectivity with the internet in emergency situations. The emergency could be any type in which one needed to contact someone but did not have data available with him. However, the use of Social Entertainment Apps, including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and others are blocked on free Wi-Fi hotspots.

Sultan mentioned that currently 65,000 users are daily login in the free Wi-Fi system while more than 4 million access the free internet under the CM Maryam Nawaz Free Wi-Fi since the launch which is only two months. To navigate potential risks safely, Kaspersky experts have crafted a set of safe practices for using unrestricted networks. The experts advised to use public Wi-Fi networks only when absolutely necessary due to their potential security vulnerabilities. When using public Wi-Fi, confirming the legitimacy of the network with the facility’s staff can help to prevent connections to deceptive networks that may capture personal information.