Wireless security awareness lacking in UAE, researchers warn

UAE internet users are leaving their systems vulnerable to hackers by not setting their security configurations properly, researchers are warning.

A recent study by the American University of Sharjah into wireless security in the UAE found that a significant number of the wireless networks in Dubai and Sharjah have not been secured.

Of the 1858 access points identified in Dubai through the research, less than half (49%) were WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) enabled, meaning equipped with a security protocol, the researchers found. In Sharjah, this number was lower still with only 43% of the total 2032 access points WEP enabled. Dr Fadi Aloul, who led the research, said that across the emirate “almost a thousand points were open so anybody could have parked next to that apartment or office, opened the laptop and connected through that point.”