Internet connection technology's recent developments have highlighted the necessity for IT support individuals to be extra careful when buying any goods online, according to a comparison website.

More than ten per cent of people are currently using another person's unprotected Wi-Fi network, a survey by moneysupermarket.com revealed, making the wireless system problematic for user safety in the workplace and at home.

The price comparison site added that personal information could be easily gathered from the main user by outsiders and could be used to steal company secrets or defraud the individual.

It added: "The consequences can be severe. It's bad enough your neighbours can use your internet connection freely, but this becomes far more threatening if someone uses your connection for criminal or improper activity."

Security could be improved through a number of ways, it continued, particularly highlighting the usefulness of security and firewall software.

People were recently reminded to avoid looking at online banking when using public networks such as Wi-Fi, with CIFAS noting that another person's information could easily be extracted.

More than half of small businesses (53 per cent) believe that the most important benefit of outsourcing is guaranteed response times for IT support. London-based Connect conducted the research in 2007.