(ECNS) -- More than 80 percent of people connect to free Wi-Fi despite security risks, according to a report released ahead of China kicking off its cyber security week.
Conducted by the Electronic Technology Information Research Institute, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China, the survey included over 254,000 participants.
It reveals that 80.21 percent of respondents use free wireless Internet access hotspots, where available, according to Beijing Times.
Several cases of users losing their passwords for bank or stock market accounts while using free Wi-Fi have also been reported across the country.
The risk increases as more than 70 percent use the same password for multiple accounts, with the figure reaching 82.39 percent among teenagers.
Besides, only 18.36 percent frequently change their passwords while 17.05 percent never do so, which can lead to a larger cyberspace security loophole.
Among respondents aged from seven to 19, 40.3 percent scan QR codes without any concern for online security.
China on Monday officially initiated its second Cyber Security Week, part of the country's efforts to raise awareness amid growing Internet use and rising cyber attacks. This year's event aims to cultivate cyber security sensibility among teenagers in particular.
