If you ever need a PSA that you should be careful when using public Wi-Fi networks, here is one: recently, an Australian man was arrested by authorities for stealing user data through setting up an “evil twin” Wi-Fi network via a portable access point.
Man Arrested For “Evil Twin” Wi-Fi Attack
The offender, Michael Clapsis, was arrested in May after staff from an unnamed Australian domestic airline reported “suspicious Wi-Fi network” during a domestic flight, ABC reports. According to the country’s federal police, Clapsis used a portable wireless access point to create free Wi-Fi networks in multiple locations to lure people into using it. When victims connected to the network, they were redirected to a fake website which required them to login using email or social media accounts.
On principle, “evil twin” networks function in similar ways to how a phishing website works. By pretending to be legitimate counterpart, victims unaware of the website’s nature may provide account credentials and other sensitive information. In this case, evil twin is essentially a Wi-Fi equivalent of phishing attacks.
So, to protect yourself against evil twin attacks, it’s best to avoid entering any sensitive information while you’re connected to the network. Browsing the web should be fine in general, but if you want extra security, consider a VPN service to keep your data hidden from snooping attempts. Alternatively, you can use your own mobile hotspot whenever possible, or avoid auto-connecting public wireless networks.
Pokdepinion: Be extra careful when connecting to public networks, keep that in mind.
