WiFi hacking has become alarmingly common, with easily accessible online tools making password cracking a casual activity for some but a nightmare for many. Hacking incidents are now as frequent as getting a parking ticket, leading to millions of compromised accounts and devices annually.
There are two main types of breaches: one involves hackers infiltrating company servers and stealing thousands of user credentials; the other stems from weak WiFi security measures, like inadequate passwords and unlocked devices, making home networks vulnerable.
How to crack/hack wireless networks?
When we talk about cracking or hacking wireless networks, we’re talking about cracking WEP/WPA keys. If you forget your Wi-Fi password, you could reset your router or crack your wireless network.
Speaking of cracking/hacking, you’ll need software and hardware resources and patience. Backtrack, a Linux-based security operating system, can collect information, assess Wi-Fi vulnerabilities, and perform exploits, among other things.
Backtrack includes the following tools:
- Metasploit
- Wireshark
- Aircrack-ng
- Nmap
- Ophcrack
These are the tools that one may use to get the WiFi password of neighbors. They may have lost their WiFi password and are wondering about ways to access their neighbor’s WiFi network.
Cracking wireless network keys isn’t a piece of cake; it takes time and patience. You’ll need the following tools to begin with:
A wireless network adapter with the capability to inject packets (Hardware)
- Kali Operating System
- Be within the Wi-Fi signal’s radius.
- Adequate knowledge of Linux and Aircrack
How Hackers Hack Wi-Fi
Sniffing
There are several ways hackers can gain access to a public WiFi network and infiltrate connected devices to steal data. The most common practice is sniffing, which allows hackers to hijack any packet of data being transmitted between a device and a router.
Once the packet has been hijacked, the hacker transfers it onto their device and runs brute-force programs on it in an attempt to decipher it. There is countless software available online, making sniffing a straightforward process.
Sniffing a packet and decoding it into useful information is a quick process; the last time, it may take around ten minutes. However, if the hijacked packet is heavily encrypted, it may take up to a few days for it to finally be deciphered, but eventually, it will be deciphered.
Spoofing
You may have noticed that your smartphone or laptop automatically connects to networks that it has been connected to previously. Our devices are capable of remembering previous connection logs and assisting us in establishing the connection automatically. This feature, which is there to provide convenience to users, can be exploited by hackers in a brilliant yet simple way.
To hack devices via spoofing, all a hacker needs to do is set up a new network with stronger signals and use the same SSID as the legitimate router. This causes devices and computers to automatically connect to the newly set-up Wi-Fi router, enabling the hacker to monitor all incoming and outgoing traffic.
Wardriving
Wardriving, or access point mapping, involves spotting and exploiting wireless local area networks while driving. Hackers carry a laptop, a wireless Ethernet card, and an antenna to boost the signal.
In most cases, organizations’ wireless networks broadcast signals not only within the office premises but also in the surrounding area. Hackers can pick up these signals and use them to intrude into the organizational network.
Once done, a hacker may have access to free Internet, company records, and other sensitive organizational material. Surprisingly, big companies like Google have also been accused of wardriving. However, Google says that it never used the data collected in the process.
Encryption Cracking
Setting up a strong password on a router gives a sense of security, as routers encrypt and decrypt all data. Most routers today use three main security protocols: WEP, WPA, and WPA2. While WEP and WPA offer basic encryption, they have vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit. WPA2 is more secure, utilizing AES encryption, but even it can be cracked with advanced tools and techniques, such as brute force attacks. Although WPA3 is a more secure, newer protocol, its widespread adoption will take time.
Hackers Love Hotspots!
What better place for hackers to go about their business than a public place where thousands of people come and go each day, spending a few minutes each and connecting to a public Wi-Fi hotspot during their stay?
Hackers exploit our need to remain online and hack public Wi-Fi hotspots to gain access to hundreds of devices simultaneously, increasing their chances of finding what they are looking for.
The following are the places hackers love the most. It’s best to avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi at these places; otherwise, hackers can steal sensitive data on your device.
- Shopping Malls
- Stadiums
- Airports
- Theme Parks
- Coffee shops
- Conferences and conventions
- Public Library
- Bookshops
- Supermarket
- Subway Stations
How Hackers Hack Android Smartphones?
Researchers in the cybersecurity industry have concluded that hacking an Android phone is way too easy compared to phones with a different OS. It does not take much effort for a hacker to spy on your Android device. All they need to do is send an SMS or an MMS to your phone, which can crack its security when you open it.
Moreover, many hackers have uploaded malicious apps to the Google Play Store. These apps may seem to provide different functionality, but in the background, they are sending the hacker your personal information, such as credentials and banking information. This can give the hacker complete access to everything on your device.
A hacked Android phone can do the following:
- Retrieve contacts and all their information
- Retrieve call logs and messages
- Track location using GPS
- Monitor real-time messages (sent and received)
- Capture images using the camera
- Stream microphone sound and videos
- Send SMS and make calls.
- Open a web page in the default browser.
- Make the phone vibrate.
How do Hackers Hack iPhones?
Yes, iPhones can be hacked via Wi-Fi, despite their strong built-in security and Apple’s rigorous app screening process. The main risk arises when users jailbreak their iPhones, which, while offering additional features, makes the device vulnerable to hacking. To keep your iPhone secure, avoid jailbreaking, don’t open messages from unknown senders, and steer clear of charging stations in public places, as they may infect your device with malware.
A hacked iPhone can do the following:
- The device slows down in performance.
- Sends/receives strange text messages.
- New apps are installed on your device without your knowledge.
- The battery drains out more quickly.
- The device gets hotter than before
- Some apps do not work correctly.
- Increased use of data
- Never-seen-before popups appear
Change Default Access
Anyone can log in to the control panel of their Wi-Fi router using a username and password. An out-of-the-box router will have these credentials set to default, which in most cases is admin, for both the username and the password. Manufacturers of other specialized routers may set different defaults, but anyone can easily access these defaults.
It may be shocking to know that all routers’ default usernames and passwords are easily available online. Furthermore, most people do not change their default credentials, making it extremely easy for hackers to snoop on their routers and intercept their data.
It is highly recommended that you change your default credentials immediately and never share your router’s credentials with anyone. Otherwise, your privacy and security can be compromised. Think not?
Did you know there’s a creepy website that streams live footage from thousands of IP cameras? A Russian hacker could pull this off only because the camera owners didn’t pay much attention to changing their default credentials. Scary right?
Complete Solution For All Your Wi-Fi Problems
As impossible as it may sound, you can overcome all the abovementioned problems with a beneficial one-click solution. PureVPN enables all internet users to patch every cyber-security shortcoming on their devices, making it impossible for hackers to harm them.
When you connect to a VPN on your router or device, your real IP address gets masked, and you are assigned a new pseudo IP address. This changes your virtual location and makes you invisible online. Even when you are connected to public networks, hackers can see everyone else and penetrate their devices, but you will remain invisible.
There is more to it. PureVPN encrypts all outgoing data with its extremely efficient military-grade encryption. While hackers can never intercept your data, the added encryption makes it unusable for hackers in an unforeseen event. Get your subscription today, and stay protected against WiFi hacking attempts!
Glossary of Hacking Terminology
Attribution | Multiple networks of computers or devices established or controlled by a cyberattacker are known as a botnet. Botnets aid cyberattackers in carrying out DDoS attacks. Hackers embed malware on different websites and applications, which eventually make their way into thousands of computers. The infected computers become part of the botnet this way. |
Backdoor | Exploits and vulnerabilities in a program that can be used to gain unauthorized access into a server. |
Black hat | When a hacker engages in illicit and unapproved activities for personal benefits, he is known as a black hat hacker. |
Botnet | Brute force is the least sophisticated method of hacking, and it involves sequentially trying all the possible options for a password until the correct match is found. It usually takes a lot of time. |
Brute force | Cryptography, more commonly known as crypto, is a digital method of secret communication that encrypts all data. |
Bug | Any error or fault in a program, code, or software which affects its functionality is called a bug. |
Cracking | Being able to get around the security of a program or a system for malicious purposes is known as cracking. |
Crypto | Physically remove a memory storage equipment/chip from a device to extract data. |
Chip-off | Websites not indexed by Google can only be accessed through specialized browsers such as Tor. |
Dark web | Due to its ease of execution, the Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attack is the most popular cyberattack. It is often executed with the help of botnet. |
DDoS | The deep web is material that is available online but not for public use. It includes encrypted networks, paywalled sites, and password-protected webpages. |
Deep Web | A top-rated hacking conference in the US, it started in 1992 and has been held in Las Vegas every summer since then. |
DEF CON | These prove the identity of a user or website on the Internet. Having a digital certificate means that the user or website is legit and actually authenticated to access the data it is trying to access. A website that has a digital certificate will display a green padlock on the browser’s address bar. |
Digital Certificate | Exploits and vulnerabilities in a program that can be used to gain unauthorized access to a server. |
Encryption | For an evil maid attack to be successful, a hacker needs physical access to the device. Once he has access, he installs software on the device, which decrypts the encrypted information and sends it to him. |
End-to-end encryption | A process where data is scrambled when it leaves the recipient’s device and can only be rearranged to produce meaning on the intended receiver’s device. |
Evil maid attack | The Government Communications Headquarters concentrates its efforts on terrorism threats in cyberspace; one of its objectives is to curb child pornography. |
Exploit | To take advantage of any vulnerability in an application or a device. Such vulnerabilities can allow hackers to access devices and steal data. |
Forensics | In cyberspace, forensics are the digital footprints or trails that hackers or cyber attackers leave behind, which can be used for attribution. |
GCHQ | These can be good guys as well as bad guys. If they break into a system with the system owner’s consent to find vulnerabilities, they are called white hat hackers or ethical hackers. However, if they break into a system without consent to steal information, they are called black hat hackers. |
Hacker | This is similar to encryption, but the information is not totally scrambled while hashing. Only its order is changed for secure storage. |
Hacktivist | A hacker who utilizes his skills for political gains and purposes. |
Hashing | Similar to encryption, but the information is not totally scrambled while hashing. Only its order is changed for secure storage. |
HTTPS/SSL/TLS | Getting around the manufacturer’s restrictions and evading security protocols to make a device capable of features doesn’t normally support it. |
Infosec | Short for “Information Security,” often used instead of cybersecurity. |
Jailbreak | This is a small piece of code that contains the information needed by a computer or a device to decrypt an encrypted message. |
Keys | Scrambling data in a predefined order makes it unreadable for anyone not the intended user. |
Malware | A prevalent type of cyber-attack involves a hacker putting himself between two devices. This enables the hacker to intercept and even alter all the ongoing communication. The hacker can also passively monitor the data. |
Man-in-the-Middle | The National Institute of Standards and Technology (US Department of Commerce) develops information security standards and protocols that the federal government uses. |
Metadata | Information that reveals what a packet of data contains is called metadata. |
NIST | Short for “operational security,” this practice decides what information needs to be protected and from whom. |
Nonce | Short for “number only used once,” is used to identify and authenticate users for a one-time session. |
OpSec | Short for “off the record.” This is used for extremely sensitive communication and data transfers that need to be destroyed after the intended user has seen them. |
OTR | Every new system needs to be tested for vulnerabilities. It is intentionally hacked to check if it can withstand digital penetration, a process known as pen-testing. |
Password Managers | Short for “malicious software,” malware can hack a target device and even damage its data. |
Penetration testing or pen testing | Short for “pretty good encryption,” this is a specialized kind of encryption. It deploys asymmetric cryptography to encrypt emails and other forms of communication, making the communication appear as scrambled text in case it gets intercepted by a hacker. |
PGP | Phishing is a form of social engineering in which receivers of phishing emails are made to believe that the email contains relevant content. Clicking on the email can lead them to a login page of any popular email or social media service, prompting them to log in. When a user attempts to log in, their information is sent to malicious individuals, who provide them with credentials. |
Phishing | A special type of malware that has become very popular recently. It infects a machine by encrypting all the data files and demands money as ransom to unlock them. |
Plaintext | Important information is stored as it is and is not encrypted. |
Pwned | When a hacker gains access to a system, this jargon is used. “The system has been pwned.” |
RAT | Short for Remote Access Trojan, RAT can provide a hacker with complete access and control to a machine. |
Ransomware | A team of hackers hired by an organization performs pen testing and tries to hack the company’s network, which allows the organization to find vulnerabilities in its system. |
Rainbow Table | Complex methods can allow a hacker to guess the real password hidden behind a hash easily. |
Red team | A series of random characters, known as salt, can be added to sensitive text such as usernames and passwords to add an extra layer of protection. |
Root | This refers to complete admin-level access. Once a hacker has root-level access, he can install, uninstall, and delete anything from a device. |
Rootkit | A specialized malware gets activated every time a machine is turned on, even before the OS starts. This makes it very difficult to detect. It is capable of capturing and controlling all data present on a machine. |
Salting | Commonly known as a hacker’s Google, this search engine displays a list of all the connected devices on a network. This list can include webcams, baby monitors, smart thermostats, printers, fitness trackers, smart TVs, and even HVAC systems—basically all the IoT devices. |
Script kiddies | A less skilled hacker who can pull off small hacking and cracking stunts with available software helps. |
Shodan | Making phone calls, meeting people, pretending to be someone else, and doing things that one is not supposed to do, all with the sole intention of extracting classified information is known as social engineering. |
Sniffing | Intercepting data and sifting through it to find valuable information like credit card numbers, passwords, social security numbers, or other credentials. |
Social engineering | A more specialized form of phishing is where hackers deceive users into clicking malicious links. |
Spearphishing | Malicious software is tailored to steal user information, such as credentials and banking information, from a user. |
Spoofing | Using forged email addresses, websites, and networks, which look like another network to deceive people. |
Spyware | Hackers are backed by the government and are given tasks to hack websites and servers that belong to other countries. |
State actor | A detailed plan envisions how hackers may attack a system in the future. Knowing the threats beforehand allows concerned people to implement robust security measures before an attack occurs. |
Threat model | An online or a smartphone-based application is used to secure all credentials in a secure and encrypted vault. |
Token | Short for The Onion Router, this browser is usually used by privacy-conscious users who want to remain anonymous online. It allows users to access the dark web. |
Tor | A device that serves as an extra layer of security on top of a password and is used for authentication purposes. A token is still required to authenticate a session even if the password is stolen. |
Tails | A bug unknown to the software engineers or developers has not been patched yet. |
VPN | Short for Virtual Private Network, a VPN allows users to become invisible online. This enables them to stay safe from hackers and scammers who may be looking to steal private data. |
Virus | Malware is usually hidden in software. It is capable of stealing or deleting important data. |
Warez | A hacker who aims to protect and fix systems by finding their vulnerabilities and reporting them so that they can be addressed. |
White hat | Pirated software is mostly distributed on websites with illegal content, such as p2p files. It may contain malware that can infect a user’s machine. |
Worm | A specialized kind of malicious program capable of self-replication. It uses all the available storage, clogs the memory, and slows down a device’s performance. |
Zero-day | A bug that is unknown to the software engineers or developers and has not been patched yet. |
Final Word
Do you have questions or confusion about WiFi hacking? Use the comments section below, and we’ll be more than happy to answer them!