In some cases, you may find yourself in a situation where you urgently need an Internet connection, but you are not at home or at work. You may want to perform tasks online, such as checking your email, browsing social media, or streaming your favorite show. But what happens when the only option available is an unfamiliar public WiFi network? How can you use it safely without exposing your privacy or security?
This is a dilemma many people face, even cybersecurity experts. A case in point: Blackhat, the world’s largest hacker conference, is held annually in Las Vegas and attracts thousands of cybersecurity professionals from around the world. They attend conferences to learn about the latest cyber threats and their solutions. But even these seasoned professionals can be exposed to the dangers of public Wi-Fi.
Event organizers expose this vulnerability in a playful way. They monitor network traffic and display the names of people fooled by fake or compromised WiFi hotspots. This is the infamous “sheep wall”.
Wall of Sheep illustrates the unfortunate consequences of network security negligence. The people on this wall are not willing participants, but inadvertent participants whose personal data has been collected and exposed for all to see.
These stories should serve as a stark warning to anyone concerned about the potential pitfalls of using public Wi-Fi. Even the most experienced cybersecurity professionals can be vulnerable to insecure networks.
Read more: 5 ways to securely access Wi-Fi on your phone while traveling
Examples of damage caused by black hat hackers
You may be wondering what’s the big deal about ending up in a “sheep wall”, but it could be much worse. Horror stories include:
Hotel hotspot trap
One participant decided to check into a nearby hotel during Black Hat Week and use the hotel’s open Wi-Fi network to catch up on work. Unbeknownst to them, hackers had set up a fraudulent hotspot that mirrored the hotel’s official network. Hackers intercepted attendee login credentials and accessed confidential work emails and confidential documents.
overconfident developer
An experienced developer known for his coding skills headed to Blackhat thinking he was invincible. He ignored the warning and connected to a fraudulent network named “SecureConferenceWiFi.” He was so confident in his skills that he used the same weak password for all his accounts. Little did he know that his email and social media accounts were compromised. This turned out to be an embarrassing leak of sensitive project data and private conversations.
Cryptocurrency investor’s nightmare
Some crypto investors also attended to participate in the discussion on blockchain technology. During the conference, he accessed his wallet online and entered his passphrase on an unsecured network. Within minutes, hackers intercepted his credentials and emptied his wallet, leaving him penniless and devastated.
More information: How to tell if someone is stealing your Wi-Fi
The moment you connect to a typical public WiFi hotspot, you become sitting prey.
Unless you are using VPN serviceEven if locked or secure Public WiFi networks are not completely secure. Public WiFi hotspots are free or secure WiFi networks typically available in public spaces such as shopping malls, libraries, coffee shops, airports, and hotels.
Historically, scam hotspots have been easily identified by generic names such as “Free Wifi” to get people to connect to the network. Cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated by using similar names of popular legitimate hotspots. If you are not careful, you will be the next victim.
Precautions to avoid malicious public WiFi hotspots
- Most public WiFi hotspots in the US don’t require payment information, so this is a red flag that a hacker may be trying to steal your personal or financial information.
- Regardless of the name, most closed networks have a lock symbol to indicate a WiFi network that is more secure with a password available to you or provided by the facility.
- On legitimate public networks, your browser will typically prompt you to accept terms and conditions even on the network.
- Pay attention to the address of the website you are about to visit.
- Most websites, especially those containing sensitive data, typically employ proprietary encryption techniques, so the web address is likely to include HTTPS and you can always verify the URL before logging in. Masu.
- For example: HTTPS://www.paypal.com instead of HTTP://www.paypal.com. Some browsers may autofill sites you visit often, but you might want to know what the URL actually looks like when you click the web address bar at the top or bottom of your browser and go there. You can check.
- Pay attention to the spelling of the website. There may be similar sites masquerading as official sites. It might be “ba”yeah“kofamerica” instead of “bankofamerica.com”
- Most websites, especially those containing sensitive data, typically employ proprietary encryption techniques, so the web address is likely to include HTTPS and you can always verify the URL before logging in. Masu.
Of course, not all scenarios can be controlled. Especially when traveling, using a public WiFi hotspot may be your last but necessary resort. A secure VPN service allows you to connect to public Wi-Fi networks without worrying.
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Read more: Clever tricks to speed up connections on Wi-Fi networks
5 common attacks against people using public WiFi
1) Evil Twin Attack
Imagine being in your favorite coffee shop and connecting with what’s there. their Free Wi-Fi network. When you start browsing the web, you have no idea that you’ve fallen victim to an “Evil Twin Attack,” as the hacker sets up a malicious hotspot with the same name as the legitimate network. This allows attackers to intercept data, steal login credentials, and launch further attacks.
solution
When using VPN serviceestablishes a level of encryption between the end user and the website, regardless of which network they participate in, so hackers cannot read the intercepted data without the correct decryption key.
2) Man-in-the-middle attack (MITM)
A “man-in-the-middle” attacker sits between the device and the intended server. This allows the user to intercept all her traffic including all emails, chat messages, and login attempts without her knowledge. All your sensitive data, private conversations, and financial transactions will be available.
solution
because VPN service encrypts your data, Even if a hacker intercepts your data, they cannot access it. VPN services work on both personal computers and mobile devices, so you can enjoy the protection of a VPN service no matter where you are.
3) “Packet sniffing” hack: (Software reads data)
Every time you connect to a network, your device sends data packets that can be read by free software such as Wireshark. If you are on an unencrypted network, hackers can read these data packets using free software such as Wireshark. Ironically, such software allows you to analyze web traffic to find security issues and vulnerabilities that need to be fixed or exploited.
solution
Hackers can see the data packets being sent, but when you use a VPN, the data passes through a secure, encrypted tunnel, preventing it from being exposed or used by hackers. The data is encrypted, making the information virtually useless to hackers. Also, the hacker can see that you are connecting through his VPN service, making it difficult to hack.
4) “Side Jacking” Hack
When a hacker uses sidejacking techniques, they essentially take information gleaned from packet sniffing and use it in real time (usually on the spot) to exploit a victim. The intercepted data is used to gain access to the original destination website or app.
Hackers use packet sniffing to read network traffic and “steal cookies.” Cookies are files that her website saves on your phone, tablet or computer when you browse her web. Cookies store a variety of information, from language preferences to personal data such as name, address, and email address.
This allows us to customize your experience on our website. If a hacker finds a non-Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) cookie (only HTTP://, not HTTPS://), the information the user sends to her website or app will be captured. This allows hackers to use the captured content to misuse your personal information and gain access to this and other sites.
solution
Hackers scan web traffic for unencrypted data or maliciously encrypted data. secure VPN service Most hackers will know that your data is encrypted, so there is a good chance that your data will “no longer run.” And even if you do try to access it, the information sent to and from your device is encrypted, so you probably won’t be able to access it.
5) Malware infection
Public WiFi networks often have poor security or no security at all. This allows cybercriminals to infect devices with various forms of malicious software such as spyware and ransomware. Once infected, your data is at risk of being stolen or encrypted. You can also turn your device into a puppet for remote control.
solution
What if you forget to turn on your VPN service while you’re away? You might panic considering the potential compromises outlined above. However, if you have an antivirus program running in the background on your device, you are protected even if a hacker gets into your device. Installing antivirus software on your device will ensure that you are prevented from clicking on potentially malicious links that could install malware on your device and allow hackers to access your personal information.
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Cart important points
Understanding the risks of using public Wi-Fi and taking precautions can protect you and your data. Please note that if you require a login or share personal or financial data, you should prioritize using your mobile phone and its data network. Unless you’re in a Las Vegas black hat, you probably won’t run into a “sheep wall,” but keep in mind that it could be much worse.
Have you ever encountered a dangerous situation while using public WiFi? If so, how did you deal with it? Let us know in the comments below.
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