You are using wireless networks that are encrypted to be safe, right? Error! Hackers want you to believe that you are so protected to stay vulnerable to their attacks.
Below you will find 4 things that wireless network hackers are hoping you will not know:
1. WEP encryption is useless to protect your wireless network.
WEP can easily break into a few minutes and essentially provides users with a false sense of security.
Even a moderate hacker can break the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) within minutes, making it virtually useless as a protection mechanism.
Many owners of their old wireless routers never bothered to change the encryption of their WEP wireless network to the newer and strongest WPA2 security.
Setting up your router in WPA2 is a pretty simple process. Visit the manufacturer's website for instructions on changing settings or updating the firmware.
It should be mentioned that even WPA2 encryption can be broken. It's harder but it can be done, especially if you don't useste codes with many letters. The size (length) of the code matters.
2. Using MAC filters in your router will not help prevent unauthorized devices from being connected
Every computer, every game system, every printer, etc., has a unique MAC (hard-coded) address. This address is "seen" by your router. So there are many routers that allow you to deny access from a device's MAC address.
The router reads the MAC address of the device that is going to connect to your network and compares it with the list of allowed or banned connections.
This sounds like a very good security mechanism, but the problem is that hackers can spoof the router by using fake MAC addresses that match the ones you allow.
All they have to do is use a packet logger to "listen" to the wireless traffic. This way they can record which MAC addresses are allowed to connect to the network. They then give their device a MAC address that matches one of the allowed ones.
3. The answeractivation the ability to remotely manage your router is a very effective protection measure against hackers
Many routers have a setting that allows you to manage via a wireless connection from your browser. This means that you can access all the router security settings and other features without having to be on the computer that is connected to the router using an Ethernet cable.
Although it is convenient because it allows you to manage the router remotely, it provides an entry point to hackers who want your security settings.
There are too many who never change the factory manager passwords to their router, which makes things even easier for hackers.
It would be best not to allow wireless connection to panels management of your router. Allow connections to the panel only via Ethernet cable.
Of course, it is superfluous to mention that you should change all laboratory settings immediately.
4. If you use public hotspots, you are an easy target for man-in-the-middle and session hijacking attacks
Hackers use tools like this Firesheep and AirJack to carry out "man-in-the-middle" attacks. So they can step in between your computer and the connection you use and collect passwords, read your emails, and more.
Using tools like SSL Strip can also get passwords from secure websites you visit.
You can avoid unpleasant situations like the above by using a company supply VPN services to protect your traffic when using Wi-Fi networks.
A secure VPN provides an extra level of security that is extremely difficult to break. Not that it can not break, just hackers will choose an easier goal.
