<p>A large number of Indians find it hard to resist accessing a strong, free wi-fi network with about 73 per cent saying they were willing to trade personal information to use the service, a study by software security firm Norton today said.<br /><br />The charm of free wi-fi is so potent that it now plays a deciding role when choosing a hotel (82 per cent), transport hub (67 per cent), which airline to fly (64 per cent) or place to eat (62 per cent).<br /><br />The report titled 'Wi-Fi Risk Report' found 51 per cent of Indian respondents saying they can't wait more than a few minutes before logging onto a wi-fi network. About 19 per cent said they would allow access to personal e-mails and contact lists, while 22 per cent said they would allow access to personal photographs to use free wi-fi. About 35 per cent said they would watch a three-minute advertisement to access free public wi-fi. <br /><br />Interestingly, 74 per cent said they believe their personal information is safe when using public wi-fi networks.<br /><br />There is a deep divide between what people think is safe when it comes to using public wi-fi versus the reality, Ritesh Chopra, Country Manager of Symantec Consumer Business Unit, said.<br /><br />"What someone thinks are private on their personal device can easily be accessed by cybercriminals through unsecured wi-fi networks or even apps with privacy vulnerabilities," he added.<br /><br />Norton, which offers security solutions, surveyed 15,000 respondents across 15 countries, including over 1,000 from India.</p>
<p>A large number of Indians find it hard to resist accessing a strong, free wi-fi network with about 73 per cent saying they were willing to trade personal information to use the service, a study by software security firm Norton today said.<br /><br />The charm of free wi-fi is so potent that it now plays a deciding role when choosing a hotel (82 per cent), transport hub (67 per cent), which airline to fly (64 per cent) or place to eat (62 per cent).<br /><br />The report titled 'Wi-Fi Risk Report' found 51 per cent of Indian respondents saying they can't wait more than a few minutes before logging onto a wi-fi network. About 19 per cent said they would allow access to personal e-mails and contact lists, while 22 per cent said they would allow access to personal photographs to use free wi-fi. About 35 per cent said they would watch a three-minute advertisement to access free public wi-fi. <br /><br />Interestingly, 74 per cent said they believe their personal information is safe when using public wi-fi networks.<br /><br />There is a deep divide between what people think is safe when it comes to using public wi-fi versus the reality, Ritesh Chopra, Country Manager of Symantec Consumer Business Unit, said.<br /><br />"What someone thinks are private on their personal device can easily be accessed by cybercriminals through unsecured wi-fi networks or even apps with privacy vulnerabilities," he added.<br /><br />Norton, which offers security solutions, surveyed 15,000 respondents across 15 countries, including over 1,000 from India.</p>