Free Wi-Fi security for malls? Is the Wi-Fi password shared software secure?

In the Internet era, the first thing that many people go into a restaurant or cafe is to ask for a Wi-Fi password. As a result, a number of mobile apps such as "WiFi spying", "WiFi Companion", and "Internet artifact" came into being. They claim that they can connect to the surrounding WiFi for free without having to ask for a password when going out.

But is there a "big meal "? Although this type of APP facilitates Internet access, industry experts have warned that using this type of APP faces the risk of having to share its own wireless password, which may bring more security problems, free WiFi is also a way for sellers to push advertisements. Users must be cautious when connecting to networks that are not clear.

Free? "Sharing economy" for WiFi games"

"One-click Display of Wi-Fi passwords" and "universal Wi-Fi password essential for mobile phones "...... Open the APP store and enter "WiFi" to find at least 20 apps with similar functions.

The reporter also downloaded one of the apps and searched for the surrounding WiFi near Chaowai SOHO. More than 10 WiFi entries jumped out of the list, four Wi-Fi display devices that originally needed a password can be used for free. The reporter clicked on the WiFi in a cafe and "" succeeded.

Why are these WiFi resources available for free? It is understood that these apps focus on the "sharing economy" of WiFi, and Hotspot owners share idle WiFi resources to facilitate more people to access the Internet. A person in charge of such applications said that more than 80% of the hotspot types come from merchants.

Secure? Your network is inexplicably "shared"

The reporter entered the cafe connected to the Internet and asked, unexpectedly, the staff said they did not know that the WiFi in the store was shared. "I have never worked with this APP, and I don't know why other people can connect to it ." The staff looked blank. The reporter asked another accessible restaurant, and the staff also said they had not shared it.

Why are sellers not sharing their networks in the available list? Who shared it?

"It is not ruled out that it was shared by other shop assistants. Product iterations are shared by Hotspot owners ." The person in charge of an APP responded.

In fact, the sharing mode of such apps has been questioned. Users once know that sharing WiFi is actually "collecting user data ". "By default, when users share data automatically, mobile apps store passwords on the cloud by accessing the memory of the mobile phone system and storing key WiFi-related data files. When other users use the Wi-Fi, the software directly retrieves the password from the cloud ."

Some companies have responded that the company has invested a lot of manpower and material resources to ensure data and privacy security. All password sharing is performed with the user's consent. You can close the sharing at any time or choose not to share the password. Both Password Transmission and server storage adopt the 128-bit encrypted ciphertext. The cloud password will not be saved locally on the user's mobile phone and will be deleted after the connection is successful.

"I am away from the Internet for free, but may my home WiFi and password be uploaded ?" Some netizens are worried.

The reporter found that some such applications have the share hotspot function. When users use it for the first time, the "automatically share connected hotspots" and "automatically backup connected hotspots" are selected by default on the page ", you can click the drop check box. But more such apps have no similar prompts.

"Everyone may leak their passwords when using them. This type of APP does not have the right to collect passwords of others. There are also security problems. For example, many people access WiFi in a restaurant, which may affect normal user experience. If hackers implant Trojans, this may cause security problems ." According to Xiang Ligang, a telecom expert.

Realization? Free WiFi push ads

"At present, China's Wi-Fi industry is not large, it is about 1 billion, but it is already on the eve of the outbreak. In the next two or three years, it will be about 3 billion ." At the recently held China Internet Conference, Chen Jinqiao, deputy chief engineer of the China Information and Communications Research Institute, said that China's WiFi industry has developed rapidly in recent years, and the number of WiFi hotspots is more than 10 million.

In fact, many giants have long been eyeing this thriving market. "Tencent WiFi manager" said it provided high-quality public WiFi connections free of charge, to prevent botnets, false, Private WiFi; "360 free WiFi" focuses on professional detection and identification of WiFi hotspots, identify whether security vulnerabilities exist. "Ping An WiFi" indicates integrating the wireless networks of China's three major communication carriers and more than 20 professional WiFi providers ......

The reporter learned that there are also free WiFi APP merchants who plan to "monetize" the large number of users, and advertisement will become the most important profit model. This type of advertising service will use big data computing capabilities to speculate on user preferences and needs, and push the information of small and medium businesses and individuals to users within a specific range of radiation.

For example, a seller can spend several minutes editing an advertisement information, such as publicity, recruitment, promotions, promotions, making friends, and idle item transactions, which will be pushed to nearby Wi-Fi users. Sellers say this will destroy the "small ads" of posters and leaflets ".

"Try not to be greedy for free WiFi ." Industry experts suggest that for security consideration, it is best not to connect to an unknown wireless network at will, or use such wireless networks for online banking transfers, payment and remittance, online shopping, and other operations.