56 per cent of the UK’s public wi-fi users might be putting confidential data at risk by connecting mobile devices to unsecured networks. Thats the number that never or rarely check whether a public wi-fi network is encrypted before using it, according to research from YouGov and internet service provider UK2.

The study also found that 68 per cent of smartphone users did not know whether their device had VPN functionality.

UK2 has released this research as it launches VPNHQ, a platform enabling users to set up a VPN (Virtual Private Network) which employs native features of mobile devices to encrypt wireless communications and reduce the chance of private information being stolen or compromised.

“The results of our research on public wi-fi usage suggest that users prioritise convenience over taking sensible security precautions,” says Russell Foster, managing director of VPNHQ. “The amount of personal data transmitted from mobile devices is growing, making them increasingly attractive targets for cyber criminals. Using a VPN is a simple, cost-effective and unobtrusive solution which exploits technology already native on almost every internet-enabled device on earth to provide security and peace of mind when using any wireless network.”