Unforeseen danger: That's why you should definitely switch off the WLAN on your mobile phone on the go

Leaving the Wi-Fi function on your mobile phone on at all times is dangerous. Which is why it's better to turn off the wireless connection when you're on the go.

Kassel – Of course, the wireless connection via WLAN offers many advantages for mobile phone users: You save data volume and in most cases surf faster and more stable. Many therefore leave the function on their mobile phone all the time, even when they are on the go. At the same time, they are not aware of the danger it poses.

Activated Wi-Fi function on the mobile phone is a major security risk

An activated WLAN function on the mobile phone in public spaces poses a major security risk, as a study by the University of Hamburg has determined. It is therefore advisable to turn off the Wi-Fi if you are outside your own network or do not use Wi-Fi at all. Otherwise, data on the phone, such as passwords, names, and email addresses, is not secure and can be spied on by hackers.

If you are using your smartphone in public spaces, you should switch off the WLAN function. © imago/Symbolic image

If the smartphone is constantly searching for networks, it leaves a "fingerprint"

If the WLAN mode is activated, the mobile phone is constantly searching for connection options with available networks in the area. This leaves a kind of "fingerprint" with data in the networks. The dangerous thing about it is that hackers can use public Wi-Fi spots to gain access to other people's cell phones and monitor all the activities of the owners. Caution is therefore advised, especially in free networks.

Public Wi-Fi allows hackers to monitor all activities on the phone

The Hamburg scientists also discovered this problem in their study. To do this, they checked a total of 252,242 Wi-Fi searches from phones in a busy pedestrian zone using antennas. The result: they were able to find out 58,489 SSIDs – i.e. names of WLAN networks that the phones had already used to dial in in the past – in this way.

Passwords, addresses, e-mails and other sensitive data could be spied on via the WLAN

They also managed to find out sensitive data such as passwords, names, email addresses, and even holiday home addresses. The computer magazine chip.de also warns of the dangers of leaving the WLAN on your mobile phone switched on while on the move. The experts point out these additional risks:

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• The Wi-Fi function can be used to create a movement profile of you
• Fraudsters can use a "Wi-Fi box" to simulate a known network so that the mobile phone connects to it; so they can access stored data and passwords
• when Wi-Fi is turned on, your place of residence can be found out; for example, burglaries can be planned.

Experts recommend disabling the Wi-Fi feature when you're on the go

If you want to surf safely, it is better to turn off the WLAN function when you are outside a known network. Instead, it is recommended to use the mobile data. In addition, the energy of the battery is consumed much faster if the mobile phone is constantly searching for existing networks. With deactivated WLAN on the smartphone, you can also save electricity. However, various updates for the iPhone or Android devices aim to increase security.