Naglabas ng babala ang Philippine National Police (PNP) at e-wallet na GCash sa publiko na mag-ingat sa pag-access sa public wi-fi na dahil posible silang mabiktima ng iba’t ibang uri ng cybercrimes.

“Public and open wi-fi networks are risky because they often lack strong encryption, allowing cybercriminals to intercept data or distribute malware, and they may feature fake hotspots set up to steal information,” ayon kay Miguel Geronilla, GCash chief information security officer.

Ayon kay PNP-Anti Cybercrime Group (ACG) Director Brig. Gen. Ronnie Francis Cariaga, mahalaga na malaman ng publiko na hindi matibay ang security features ng free wi-fi na karaniwang inaalok sa mga airport, hotel room, coffee shop at iba pang pampublikong lugar.

“An attacker can intercept the communication flow between your devices and web browsers, potentially stealing sensitive information and even hijacking your device,” paliwanag ng police official.