Concerns have been raised about passengers using wi-fi at Prestwick Airport to transfer money, stream movies and share personal information as they jet off on holiday.

Cybersecurity experts at VPNPro conducted an analysis on 34 of the UK’s busiest airport websites, to determine which ones state the correct name of their Wi-Fi network to customers. 

Less than 50 per cent of airports failed to verify the real name of their Wi-Fi on their site, which the company says is leaving travellers at a greater risk of connecting to a malicious network while they wait to board. 

Among the offenders in Scotland were the airports in Edinburgh, Inverness, Prestwick and Dundee.

Of nine Scottish airports analysed, only two - Glasgow and Aberdeen - were found to clearly state the name of the wi-fi network to customers.

Šarūnas Karbauskas, a cyber-security expert at VPNPro, who conducted the analysis, says scammers are known to set up fake wi-fi in airports to intercept crucial information. 

He explained: “Anyone who has been to an airport will know that once you switch on your wi-fi settings, you are hit with a barrage of options, and it isn’t always clear which is the airport’s legitimate wi-fi network. 

“A significant number of airports failed to confirm the correct name of their wi-fi network on their website, meaning that customers are left vulnerable to online attacks should they unknowingly connect to a bogus network.” 

“Often referred to as an ‘Evil Twin Attack’, cybercriminals are known to set up fake wi-fi hotspots in airports, in the hope that travellers will unwittingly connect to their network.

"Once connected, any personal information entered by the victim can then be intercepted by these fraudsters, enabling them to gain access to your email or bank account. 

"Cybercriminals can even set up hotspots with the exact same name as the legitimate wi-fi network.

"Therefore, it is also important to check with a member of staff that you are connecting to the correct network if there are several options with the same name."

Tips to stay safe on airport wi-fi include verifying the connection with staff, using a VPN, avoiding logging into or checking valuable information, and setting up a mobile hotspot if possible. 

Prestwick Airport has been contacted for comment.