The Irish Government has introduced new rules which will force people living in homes with wi-Fi access to activate the service as soon as they enter, but only if they have permission from the internet service provider.
The move has been prompted by a spate of incidents where people have tried to use their mobile devices to gain access to wi-FI networks in the last two weeks, prompting concerns over the security of the network.
The changes, which were announced in a Government Information Paper on Tuesday, will apply to any mobile device connected to a public Wi-Fi network, regardless of whether it is the owner’s own or a third party’s.
But, as the Irish Times reported, some wi-, and especially wi-fios, are now being used in certain areas as a “safer haven” for criminal activity.
These “hotspots” are often used for criminal purposes such as extortion, drug dealing and kidnapping, according to the Government.
In some instances, a number of the hotspots have been found to be “ghosts” or “ghosted” and remain in use even when users are warned of the problem.
“This will help ensure that those who are using these hotspots in the Irish Republic are aware of the risks and the best ways to protect themselves,” Minister for Communications Denis Naughten said.
“I am confident that this Government will take the right measures to make sure that criminals do not exploit vulnerable hotspots for their own gain.”
A new service has also been launched in the North and East of the country, where wi- Fi access is generally restricted to people with access to a fixed broadband connection, such as a mobile phone.
This will allow people to access wi-Fios in their homes, but wi- fi will only be able to connect to their mobile phones when they are in these areas.
However, the Government has also revealed that wi- Fios will also be able “to be used in public places such as restaurants, bars and theatres”.
In addition, the new service will also allow people who are already connected to their wi- fios to access them on the mobile phones of other people at home.
This means that, when they use a mobile device to access their wi fi hotspot, it will only connect to the wi-flis of other Wi-fies connected to the same internet access provider, so that other wi- fli can also access them.
“The use of wi-Fs for criminal activities is not an isolated phenomenon, but is part of the wider problem of the internet of things, where it is difficult to keep an eye on a particular hotspot,” Minister Naughton said.
We are taking this issue seriously and the Government is working with all parties to tackle this issue, he added.