Using free WiFi while shopping? UAE issues warning

Abu Dhabi - Residents have been advised to maintain the privacy and security of their information.

The Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA) has warned residents against using public Wi-Fi networks while shopping online, as it could expose shoppers to the risk of "hacking".

“Using public Wi-Fi to shop online while at public places is tremendously convenient but it might not be safe. So, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) instead or share data from your phone as a hotspot,” the ADDA said on Twitter.

Authorities explained that using Wi-Fi to shop online while in public places might be convenient to some people, but it is not safe because shoppers may be vulnerable to cyber attacks.

“Shoppers should make sure that the online shopping sites are safe and reliable before entering their credit card details to purchase products,” said the ADDA.

“The easiest way to identify if the website is secured, is to look for “https” at the beginning of a site’s address. If you don’t see the “s” at the end of “http,” then the site is not encrypted and your data might not be secure.”

The warnings are part of ADDA’s “cyber advice” to shoppers through its Twitter account.

In a separate tweet, residents have been advised to maintain the privacy and security of their information and to make sure that they read and understand the information security policies of the applications and sites with which they share their data.