Wi-Fi is an essential part of our daily lives in today’s fast-paced world. We depend on it for connectivity and the freedom to move around without being tethered to a cable. But not to forget, with the convenience of Wi-Fi comes a great security risk. Hackers are always looking for vulnerabilities to exploit and gain access to our personal information. To protect yourself and your router from these hidden dangers, it’s crucial to understand hackers’ tactics and take the necessary precautions.
We often imagine hackers breaking into our local network when we think of Wi-Fi hacking. While this does happen, hackers can also track us by our devices, compromise passwords through phishing attacks, and even gather information about our workplace or travel patterns. Wi-Fi provides hackers with various avenues to exploit, whether attacking the network itself or targeting connected devices. This flexibility allows them to exploit the weakest link and exploit any vulnerabilities they can find.
Remove Networks from PNL
One of the ways hackers exploit Wi-Fi is by creating rogue access points that mimic the names of common open Wi-Fi networks. They rely on our devices’ habit of automatically connecting to previously joined networks with the same name. This poses a serious threat, as it enables hackers to load phishing pages, track our online activities, and gain access to our sensitive information. To minimize this risk, purging unnecessary networks from our preferred list is essential. On Windows, you can do this by going to “Manage known networks” and selecting “Forget” for any networks you don’t want your device to connect to automatically.
In a recent attack, a hacker used a microcontroller to create fake networks that appeared trustworthy to nearby smartphones. By identifying the network names that showed up in the preferred network lists of multiple devices, the hacker could hijack the data connections of numerous devices simultaneously. If you have networks similar to those on the list saved in your device’s preferred network list, it’s crucial to delete them immediately to protect yourself from such attacks.
Use VPN
Using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is another effective way to safeguard your Wi-Fi connection. A VPN encrypts your local traffic, making it difficult for hackers to snoop on your activities or redirect you to malicious websites. Popular VPN services like PIA, Mullvad, or NordVPN provide an additional layer of protection, ensuring that your data remains secure even if an attacker gains access to your Wi-Fi password later.
Disable Auto-connect
Disabling auto-connect when joining networks is a simple yet effective precautionary measure. While it may be slightly inconvenient to enter passwords manually each time, it significantly reduces the risk of your device automatically connecting to networks with the same name but different security settings. This prevents your device from inadvertently leaking the names of networks you’ve connected to before. On macOS devices, you can specify which networks auto-connect by unchecking the respective options in the “advanced” settings.
Many users believe that hiding their Wi-Fi network adds an extra layer of security. However, the truth is that hidden networks make your smart devices more vulnerable to tracking. By constantly broadcasting the name of the hidden web, your device becomes an easy target for attackers. It’s best to avoid using hidden networks, as they provide a false sense of security while compromising privacy.
Disable WPS
Another vital step in securing your router is disabling WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) functionality. Networks with WPS enabled are attractive targets for hackers. By scanning the local area, they can easily identify vulnerable networks. Disabling the WPS setup pin and ensuring it stays off is crucial to protect your network. Although the procedure may vary, you can typically do this by accessing your router’s settings and disabling the WPS option.
Strong Passwords
Finally, one should only use strong passwords for your Wi-Fi network. Weaker passwords like 12345 or your birth date are no more secure options. They can make it easy for hackers to break into your network. Choosing strong and unique passwords for your Wi-Fi network is need of the hour to reduce the risk of unauthorized access. Using the same password for multiple accounts can make you prone to brute-forcing attacks.
Final Thoughts
You should only keep the Wi-Fi networks you trust on your devices and turn off the auto-connect feature. If you have a job that requires extra security, having unique Wi-Fi network names at your office is very important for you. Else, you might unknowingly spill information about your employment to interested parties. When you’re not sure, it’s best to turn off your Wi-Fi when you’re not using it. This simple step can prevent most Wi-Fi attacks.
Following these precautions can greatly lower the risk of your Wi-Fi device automatically connecting to a malicious network, being tracked across different locations, or leaking personal information. While these tips won’t cover every aspect of Wi-Fi security, they will protect you from many familiar and easy attacks that hackers use.
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