Kaspersky Lab Consumer Survey Finds Lack of Security Use When Accessing Public Wi-Fi

Survey Results Show 34 Percent of Participants Take No Security Measures When Connecting to Public Wi-Fi

Woburn, MA – October 16, 2013 – According to the recent Consumer Security Risks survey conducted by Kaspersky Lab and B2B International, 34 percent of participants take no additional security measures when connecting to public Wi-Fi. Moreover, 14 percent were not concerned about using open access points for services that process personal financial data, such as online stores, banking and e-payment systems. The survey results also showed that only 13 percent of survey respondents take the time to check the encryption standard of an access point before connecting to hotspots.

The results of the survey showcase how many consumers are unaware or unconcerned about the potential problems of using public Wi-Fi. Today it’s easy to connect online from cellular networks and broadband cable communication networks and also public Wi-Fi hotspots in coffee shops, hotels, restaurants, airports and even parks. However, many of these hotspot networks are open and not secure.

Cybercriminals have been known to take advantage of public Wi-Fi, most commonly through man-in-the-middle attacks. Any Wi-Fi access point is a window to the Internet for all the devices attached to it. Without any encryption of communication between consumers and the access point, it’s a simple task for a cybercriminal to intercept all the data a person enters. Moreover, attacks like this are possible even if the hotspot is password protected and a secure HTTPS-connection between the required site and the user's browser is established.

When using public Wi-Fi, it’s important to take additional security measures, as Internet traffic could be intercepted by malicious users. Kaspersky Lab recommends only using secure connections to access points. This alone will greatly reduce the risk of the traffic being intercepted by cybercriminals. However, when consumers are planning to use websites that require personal information, such as usernames and passwords, this basic precaution must be coupled with additional protective tools.

For example, the Safe Money technology from Kaspersky Lab provides comprehensive protection for online banking and payment transactions. The technology ensure that a website is secure and that customers not being tricked by a “fake” or phishing website. It also offers to open a website in a protected mode, keeping customer credit card numbers and other personal data safe from cybercriminals. Safe Money is available in Kaspersky Internet Security 2014 and Kaspersky PURE 3.0 for home users. Kaspersky Internet Security is also available as part of Kaspersky Internet Security – Multi-Device, the new solution that provides premium protection for PCs, Macs, and Android smartphones and tablets all in a single product.

About Kaspersky Lab
Kaspersky Lab is the world’s largest privately held vendor of endpoint protection solutions. The company is ranked among the world’s top four vendors of security solutions for endpoint users*. Throughout its more than 15-year history Kaspersky Lab has remained an innovator in IT security and provides effective digital security solutions for large enterprises, SMBs and consumers. Kaspersky Lab, with its holding company registered in the United Kingdom, currently operates in almost 200 countries and territories across the globe, providing protection for over 300 million users worldwide. Learn more at www.kaspersky.com.

* The company was rated fourth in the IDC rating Worldwide Endpoint Security Revenue by Vendor, 2011. The rating was published in the IDC report "Worldwide Endpoint Security 2012–2016 Forecast and 2011 Vendor Shares (IDC #235930, July 2012). The report ranked software vendors according to earnings from sales of endpoint security solutions in 2011.

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Media Contact
Sarah Bergeron
781.503.2615
sarah.bergeron@kaspersky.com