A new survey released by the University of Phoenix finds many people are willing to overlook cybersecurity risks for the sake of convenience. Sixty percent of respondents who use unsecure, open Wi-Fi networks say they don’t trust the networks’ security to protect their personal information, but admit the convenience outweighs the risks.
An unsecure network has no barriers like firewalls or passwords to ward off potential breaches and hacking.
The survey, conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the University of Phoenix, found 28 percent percent of adults under the age of 35 regularly shop on unsecured networks. It also found:
- 80 percent of respondents connected to public Wi-Fi at least once a week
- 61 percent of respondents use cell phones, laptops or tablets on public networks daily
- 39 percent of respondents said they trust public Wi-Fi
- 26 percent of respondents said they strongly agree that there is no real difference between secured and unsecured networks
Before sharing personal data, cybersecurity experts suggest people ask retailers how their information will be used and stored.
