How is a public wifi network being attacked?
Man-in-the-Middle Attacks are most commonly found. This kind of assault happens when a hacker places themself amid your public WiFi network. The hacker will then be able to watch whatever you do online. The hacker will be able to see any personal information that you type, including passwords and bank account details.
The other common attack that can happen while accessing public Wi-Fi are: Fake Wi-Fi Connections, Packet Sniffing, Sidejacking, Shoulder-Surfing, and others
Why is public Wi-Fi a target for cyberattacks?
The typical unprotected public Wi-Fi connection is free. Your online activities are not necessarily encrypted just because you might need a password to log in. You may become vulnerable when using public WiFi for a variety of reasons. The encryption mechanism employed by various wireless networks is one of the primary causes. Another is the potential for connecting to a phony or rogue Wi-Fi hotspot.
Your security risks may increase because some wireless networks may utilize outdated encryption standards. One of the earliest encryption standards for wireless networking devices, the wireless encryption protocol, is regarded as being unreliable and readily hackable. The goal of Wi-Fi-protected access was to displace WEP as the industry standard. When attempting to use free public Wi-Fi, you also run the risk of connecting to a rogue Wi-Fi hotspot. In these situations, a hacker sets up a phony hotspot with the intention of engaging in man-in-the-middle assaults on unwary targets who join their rogue network. If the attack is successful, cybercriminals will be able to read, inject, and alter messages and data as they are transmitted between you and the servers of the websites you visit.
Using pre-built kits that can carry out Man-in-the-middle attacks, even inexperienced hackers can observe and eavesdrop on your web traffic to gather crucial data, such as login credentials, credit card information, and Social Security numbers.
Signs that you may be connected to a malicious website
Hackers might take advantage of the fact that Wi-Fi devices search for well-known Wi-Fi networks.
Attackers may pose as your home network or a public network you would discover at a coffee shop or airport using rogue Wi-Fi hotspots. Your device connects to the attacker’s bogus hotspot rather than a legitimate public Wi-Fi hotspot. This indicates that your device and the actual Wi-Fi network are separated by the attacker’s network, which gives them access to your online traffic.
Here’s one more strategy. A hacker sets up the “Free Wi-Fi” public Wi-Fi network and waits for victims to connect. Many individuals will probably attempt to connect, especially if it’s free.
How to secure yourself on public Wi-Fi with these tips?
Some of the security precautions for public Wi-Fi can help keep your data safe.
Watch what you access. Never access critical information on a public Wi-Fi network. You can probably do it if you need to go online to look up directions or perform other less critical tasks. Continue using “HTTPS”. When using free public WiFi, always visit websites that begin with “HTTPS” and stay away from those that do not. Your browsing is safer when a website’s address begins with HTTPS because it adds a layer of security. Your traffic may be exposed to other users on the network if you utilize normal HTTP rather than HTTPS when you join an unprotected Wi-Fi network. Think about extending. If you want to force all websites you visit to connect using HTTPS, think about downloading an extension. The Electronic Frontier Foundation and The Tor Project joined forces to create this Firefox, Chrome, and Opera plugin. Modify the settings. Make sure your devices’ wifi settings are adjusted so they won’t automatically connect to Wi-Fi hotspots when they become available. This protects you from unintentionally connecting to public networks. Don’t forget to log out. After you’ve finished browsing, be sure to log out of any services you were using. Additionally, make sure your device will “forget the network” and won’t connect to it again when you come back into range without your consent by checking your settings.
Conclusion
Since network connection is a very important necessity nowadays people will always search for a network. Hence, many public places do provide it, but sometimes they get hacked by hackers. Therefore, it’s safe to avoid such transactions, login activities, and activities that involve important information.
Q1. How can we know that we are connected to some fake wifi?
A hacker sets up the “Free Wi-Fi” public Wi-Fi network and waits for victims to connect. By faking their name with that of a famous network of a particular area.Many individuals will probably attempt to connect, especially if it’s free. It’s better to avoid connecting to such networks.
Q2. How can we modify the settings of our device so that it doesn’t connect to public Wi-Fi automatically?
You can accomplish this by disabling the “Connect Automatically” feature on your devices, preventing them from connecting automatically, and looking for established Wi-Fi networks.
