Our world is becoming more and more connected. Widespread (and growing) access to wi-fi is convenient and essential for our modern lifestyles, but it’s not as harmless as it may seem.
This article explores the top dangers of public wi-fi for businesses, cyber threats to be aware of, and how to minimize your exposure to the risks of an open wi-fi network, courtesy of real money casinos USA.
Man-in-the-Middle Attacks
Generally, attacks that take advantage of poor public WiFi security fall under the category of man-in-the-middle attacks. This means pretty much exactly what it sounds like, with the attacker positioned between you and the server you are trying to access, with you none the wiser. This allows the attacker to capture all of your traffic, which they can use to steal your personal information, swipe payment details, such as credit cards, and even manipulate the data packages to install malware or spyware on your device.
Network Snooping
Monitoring the incoming and outgoing traffic on a public network is one type of man-in-the-middle attack that is shockingly easy to pull off. Anyone can download tools, such as Wireshark, and with the help of a few YouTube tutorials, have everything they need to see exactly what you’re doing on your laptop while you do your morning browsing in a coffee shop.
Wireshark
This means that all the information you’re sending — whether it’s credit card details, passwords or anything else — is laid bare to the attacker, giving them quick access to any accounts you sign in to or payment details you use.
Malware Distribution
Another common avenue of attack on public WiFi networks is known as malware injection. As mentioned above, attackers can use snooping software to inspect the data coming in and out of your device, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Not only will they be able to see your traffic, but they could also manipulate it. In layman’s terms, this essentially boils down to intercepting a web server’s response before it gets to you, inserting some malicious and hidden code that will run once the page opens on your device, and then sending it along its way. If the attacker did this right, you most likely won’t even notice that anything has happened until it’s far too late, even if you’re playing games at best rated online casinos New Zealand with immense security.
Snooping and Sniffing
Hackers can eavesdrop on unsecured public Wi-Fi networks. Using special software, an attacker on the network can see what you’re doing on your device while using public Wi-Fi. Sometimes, the hacker will just read your browsing history. If you’re unlucky, the attacker may steal your login details to steal sensitive information resulting in a data breach. Bad actors may also use special software to capture data packets flowing between networked computers. This allows the attackers to capture the information sent across the network, including details like passwords and IP addresses.
Evil Twin Attacks
The “evil twin” or honeypot attack is a type of attack where a cybercriminal sets up a malicious Wi-Fi hotspot, often intending to steal users’ data. Many people will select a Wi-Fi hotspot if its name sounds appropriate, and almost anyone can set up malicious hotspots that seem legitimate. These hotspots are meant to trick you into connecting to them.
Eleena Timmons