Don't bank on it
E-commerce
13 November 2007
Wi-Fi users have been advised not to check their bank accounts from public hotspots because of safety issues.
Michael Phillips, product director for Broadbandchoices.co.uk, urged users to be cautious but advised that home connections can easily be made secure.
He said: "I wouldn’t recommend checking your bank account using a public wireless network in a library, cafe or airport."
"Users have no way of knowing who else is connected and there have even been cases of hackers setting up bogus hotspots in order to steal people’s personal information."
He recommends several security measures to make home connections safe, including: upgrading to WPA security, changing passwords and encryption keys, installing internet security products and isolating wireless signals.
Mr Phillips concluded: "As long as you’re using adequate security, it is safe to use a home wireless network to do online banking, check emails and use social networking sites such as Facebook."
A recent study by Forrester Research found that UK internet banking growth has slowed because of telephone helplines and satisfaction with branch services.
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