{"id":4402,"date":"2019-09-30T08:00:32","date_gmt":"2019-09-30T02:30:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.upnxtblog.com\/?p=4402"},"modified":"2019-09-26T12:22:12","modified_gmt":"2019-09-26T06:52:12","slug":"everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-threats-of-public-wifi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.upnxtblog.com\/index.php\/2019\/09\/30\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-threats-of-public-wifi\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything You Need to Know About the Threats of Public WiFi"},"content":{"rendered":"
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We are all guilty of using public WiFi. Be it at our favorite coffee shop or a free hotspot we stumble upon while traveling. We see free WiFi, and we think \u201cJackpot!\u201d instead of considering the potential security threats.<\/div>\n
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But ignoring these threats doesn\u2019t make them scarce. One doesn\u2019t even need to be a professional hacker to take advantage of public WiFi vulnerabilities. Someone from the tech-savvy crowd can have bad intentions and take advantage of the WiFi network. Thus, it\u2019s essential to know about these threats and the ways to protect yourself from them.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Evil twin attacks<\/h2>\n

Some places have a couple of public WiFi networks available. One shares the name of the place (e.g., Coffee-Shop), another one is for guests (e.g., Coffee-Shop-GUEST). Or one is password-protected while the other one offers free access.It seems innocent enough to connect to either of those networks. But there\u2019s no guarantee one of them is not fake.<\/p>\n

A hacker can set up a separate WiFi connection with the same or similar name to the place where people tend to connect to WiFi, e.g., a coffee shop or mall. That gives them the power to see the exchanges of everyone connected to the network.<\/p>\n

Of course, if two public WiFi networks have similar names, it doesn\u2019t mean a hacker runs one of them. But it\u2019s better to be safe than sorry and look for a secure connection instead.<\/p>\n

Fake WiFi hotspots<\/h2>\n

Fake or rogue WiFi hotspots share the same threats as evil twin attacks. But instead of mimicking some coffee shops or other places, they disguise as free public WiFi networks.<\/p>\n

You encounter these networks everywhere. They go under the name Free WiFi, Free Access, or appear as random WiFi access points that are not password-protected. It may be a legit free connection offered by the city or some organization. But it can also be a network run by a hacker.<\/p>\n

Lousy router configuration<\/h2>\n

If you have ever had to set up a router<\/a> at your home, you know it requires logging in and configuring WiFi settings. Some people analyze the settings, secure the WiFi connection, and change the router password along the way. But most people don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

WiFi works? That\u2019s good enough.<\/p>\n

They leave the WiFi security settings untouched and often don\u2019t even try to change the router password. And that makes it easy for hackers to access the router. Then they can change the settings and overlook the internet traffic of those using the connection.<\/p>\n

Man-in-the-middle attacks<\/h2>\n

Another common threat when using public WiFi is man-in-the-middle attacks. They happen silently. You may not even realize something has happened. That\u2019s because the attacker \u201cstands\u201d between you and the website you access.<\/p>\n

You may request a particular web page and get one with altered information. It may lead you to a fake login or payment page to steal your login credentials or bank account details. The same way, it can change your conversation online \u2014 alter your messages before sending or mess with the info you receive instead.<\/p>\n

WiFi sniffing<\/h2>\n

When you connect to a public WiFi, you get connected to a network. The other devices of that network won\u2019t be visible right away. But it only takes a piece of software for a hacker to oversee what\u2019s happening in the network. The websites you visit, the information you type – it\u2019s all available to the culprit.<\/p>\n

Sure, there\u2019s no harm done if you use public WiFi only to scroll through meme sites. But it can cause a lot of damage if you decide to buy something online or check your bank account balance.<\/p>\n

Checkout 5 BEST Android apps to detect WiFi network intruders.<\/a><\/p>\n

Worms<\/h2>\n

Computer viruses are the most known threats online. But have you heard about computer worms?<\/p>\n

A computer virus needs another program to spread from one device to another. Meanwhile, the worms can transport between devices on the same network without any help.<\/p>\n

They damage the machine by multiplying and taking up extra memory or eating up the bandwidth. But more dangerous worms can also change files or lock some and demand a ransom.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the solution?<\/h2>\n

One way to dodge these attacks is by avoiding public WiFi altogether. But let\u2019s be honest, it\u2019s difficult to deny yourself the convenience of a free hotspot.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, there are other ways to fend off these threats.<\/p>\n

Equip yourself with an antivirus to keep those pesky worms at bay. And use a trustworthy VPN service to encrypt your connection to the internet at all times.<\/p>\n

A VPN is a service that leads you to the websites you want to access through a secure tunnel. It encrypts your traffic – no one can check what you upload and download. Stumbled upon an evil twin or a fake WiFi hotspot? The hackers behind them won\u2019t be able to make sense of the information leaving (or coming to) your device. The same goes for the other threats on this list.<\/p>\n

No matter what precautions you take, think twice before connecting to the first WiFi network you see. Avoid \u201cFree WiFi\u201d in the middle of nowhere. Found two identical WiFi networks? Go for the password-protected one rather than its FREE or GUEST copy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Useful Resources<\/h2>\n