Wireless networks are very present in our day to day. We have more and more devices that allow us to surf the Internet without using cables. This is very useful, but you also have to consider the risks. Especially when browsing a public Wi-Fi network, there are many attacks that we can suffer and put our privacy at risk. We are going to talk about this in this article. We will also give advice on where insecure networks are most common and, most importantly, how to navigate safely.
Main attacks on insecure Wi-Fi networks
As we say, when we connect to a Wi-Fi network we can suffer many types of attacks that in one way or another can compromise our security and privacy. Therefore, we must be prepared to face these problems, although the main thing is to know what we are facing. Let’s see what are the most common attacks if we browse a public and insecure Wi-Fi network.
Man-in-The-Middle Attacks
The Man-in-the-middle attacks are strongly associated with unsafe wireless connections. It is undoubtedly one of those threats that we must take into account if we are going to connect to a public Wi-Fi that we do not control and where there may be hackers.
What is a Man-in-The-Middle attack? Basically we can say that it is an intermediary, the attacker in this case, who is between the network to which we connect and our device. In this way it could steal all the data that travels from our computer to the network. A way to collect personal information.
Data theft
The network itself could steal the data we send. On many occasions we find a public Wi-Fi that asks us for certain information in order to access. For example our email, name and surname, postal address, telephone number …
This data could be used maliciously, could include us in spam lists or even serve to send personalized phishing attacks. Ultimately our personal information has great value on the net and could be used for profit. Therefore, data theft is another of the most common problems.
DNS hijacking
We cannot forget about DNS hijacking . With this type of attack, hackers can modify the web addresses that we visit. Let’s say we want to enter a website, such as redeszone.net, but when we put that in the browser, we are redirected to another page controlled by the attacker.
With this they manage to divert users, ultimately victims, to insecure websites, which can contain all kinds of threats that put our systems at risk and affect privacy.
Sneak malware
The malware is another problem that can suffer entering into a Wi-Fi. They could create a portal so that we have to access and later enter the web, but also ask us to download a file that would supposedly be used to enter the Internet.
In this way they could sneak malicious software into our systems. It is an alternative to DNS hijacking, which could also be used to infect our computers with all kinds of malware.
Where are the dangerous Wi-Fi networks
We have seen how they could attack us through an insecure public Wi-Fi network. Now we are going to explain in which places it is more common to find this type of problem. This way we will know how to identify them and be able to take preventive measures.
Airports and stations
The airports or train station are certainly very common places where hackers can deploy their malicious networks. They are places where there is a lot of traffic of people and also where we can stay a long time waiting for a plane or a train.
This makes us look for a Wi-Fi network to avoid consuming mobile data or connecting the computer. This is taken into account by cybercriminals and can install Wi-Fi that pretends to be legitimate but is actually a scam. They could even attack a network that is reliable.
Malls
Something similar happens with shopping centers. They are spaces with a great flow of people . Many users who constantly come and go, make purchases, search for product information, etc. It is a very common place to find Wi-Fi networks created just to attack.
Public places like libraries
We must also bear in mind that we can find this type of threat in libraries, universities and other public places . Normally these spaces have a Wi-Fi network for us to connect. This can be exploited by an attacker to create his own network and carry out attacks.
Establishments and restaurants
Many stores and restaurants are also used to create fake Wi-Fi networks. But there is a term to be mentioned here: twin Wi-Fi networks . It basically consists of an attacker creating a Wi-Fi with the same name as the establishment. This could mislead customers into thinking that it is a legitimate network. However, your data could be at risk.
How to protect ourselves when browsing on a public Wi-Fi
As we can see, there are different places where we can find this type of insecure Wi-Fi networks. What can we do to be protected? We are going to give a series of interesting tips that we can put into practice in a simple way.
Use a VPN
Something basic that we can take into account to navigate on a public Wi-Fi safely is to use a VPN . It is a service that we can use on our mobile or computer and is responsible for encrypting the connection. This way our data will travel protected and we will not have any kind of problem. It is an option to take into account.
Avoid logging in or paying
We must also avoid making any purchase, entering card details or even logging into certain sensitive services , such as the bank account or email account. We have seen that Man-in-The-Middle attacks are a very common problem on public networks and we must avoid taking more risks than necessary.
Have the equipment always protected
Of course , security programs cannot be lacking . There are many options that we can take into account. There are many tools that protect us in one way or another. This helps us to always keep our systems safe, detect varieties of malware and reduce the impact that may occur in the event of a cyber attack.
Keep the system up to date
Another issue is keeping the system properly updated . On many occasions, vulnerabilities arise that could be used by hackers in these public Wi-Fi networks. Thanks to the patches that we can install, we will have our equipment properly protected.
Ultimately, public Wi-Fi networks are a major problem if we don’t take precautionary measures. We have given some essential tips that we can put into practice and avoid unnecessary risks.
