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National Coordinator for Counter-terrorism and Security
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Tuesday, 28 October 2014 - 12:05

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Dutch careless with computers, public wi-fi

Dutch people are careless when using a work laptop, tablet or smartphone on a public WiFi network. Many people seem unaware of the risks. One in three employees even sometimes leave their device unattended. This is evident from a study commissioned by the Public Communications Department (DPC) and the National Coordinator for Counter-terrorism and Security (NCTV). Other people can access your device when you are using a public WiFi network. If malicious parties are able to obtain passwords, they can log on to companies' systems and get hold of sensitive information. Only a small percent change passwords after using a public WiFi network. Only about half of the 2,300 respondents know what actions on the internet could be risky for their employer. Only a few call it dangerous to store information in the cloud, with services such as Dropbox and WeTransfer. According to the researchers, such services are "potentially risky". The fact that the cloud is barely mentioned, can be because people do not share sensitive information in this way. The study also shows that people protect their personal computers better than they do their tablets and smartphones. People also seem to be very careful on social media like Facebook and Twitter. They pay close attention to who can see what they post.

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