如今，免费 Wi-Fi 几乎无处不在(free Wi-Fi is available almost everywhere)——在咖啡馆、酒店(Hotels)、办公室——(Offices –)甚至在街道和一般公共场所。谁不想使用免费WiFi来查看他们的邮件和社交媒体更新？好吧(Well)，今天，我们将看到免费公共WiFi热点的危险，其中大部分您可能已经知道。
免费 WiFi 的危险
如何破解公共 WiFi 热点的计算机(Public WiFi Hotspots)
我没有给出黑客攻击的一步一步的过程。我从未尝试过。您可以访问暗网(Darknet)以获取有关该主题的教程。暗网是(Darknet)互联网(Internet)中犯罪猖獗的非索引部分。
那么这是怎么发生的呢？黑客(Hacker)将自己置于您和WiFi网络之间，并拦截您发送的所有内容，包括密码、电子邮件、信用卡信息和其他数据。然后他可以滥用这些信息。这称为中间人攻击(Man in the Middle Attack)。
但是不需要真正进入暗网(Darknet)并搜索有关如何破解的教程。常规Internet(Internet)上也有大量软件可以帮助您破解他人的计算机和移动设备。例如，您可以下载 将您的笔记本电脑转换为 WiFi 热点的软件——如果您的计算机已经连接到互联网(Internet)。如果您在公共场所使用该软件，那里的其他人会将您的计算机与公共热点混淆，并且会毫不犹豫地连接到它。黑客(Hacker)因此可以设置免费WiFi指向并希望您连接到它 - 或者他甚至可以强制您的设备连接到它。然后，他窃取了您传输的所有信息。
借助此类软件，您可以进行设置以窥视连接到您计算机的其他计算机和平板电脑甚至智能手机，假设它是公共WiFi。运气好的话，您还可以找到可能帮助您接管其他计算机并做您想做的事情而不是实际用户想要的软件。
本节的目的是为您提供有关在公共场所使用不同软件入侵他人Internet设备的难易程度的信息。(Internet)它还告诉您在公共场所以及愿意使用他们的热点时面临的风险。但是，它不会教你破解他人的计算机。唯一的办法是避免使用公共热点并携带自己的互联网(Internet)加密狗或卡。并且永远不要使用没有密码的热点，因为它可能不是真正的热点。
阅读(Read)：旅行时的 Wi-Fi 安全性。
哪些信息可以在公共 WiFi上被黑客入侵(Public WiFi)
如果有人设法访问您的计算机，他或她可以通过检查从您的计算机传入和传出的数据包轻松检查您在做什么。她或他也可以访问您的屏幕以查看所有窗口都打开了以及您在做什么。该人还可能会查看您的浏览历史记录并查看您在几分钟前查看的内容。这取决于您在公共场所的时间以及患者如何成为黑客。
黑客还可能控制您的计算机并将您重定向到其他网站，而不是您希望访问的网站。有时，它可能与您希望访问的网站相似，并且可能会窃取登录所需的密码和 ID——就像网络钓鱼一样。嗅探被黑网络上的传出和传入数据包，犯罪分子也可以找出您正在使用的网站以及这些网站的登录凭据。
此外，黑客可能知道您的操作系统、计算机配置、您一直使用的浏览器以及其他类似信息。简而言之，犯罪分子可能会访问您计算机上的所有数据，就好像他或她在您的许可下使用您的计算机一样。
那么，您如何避免此类情况呢？(So, what do you do to avoid such instances?)
(Avoid)尽可能避免使用公共热点。永远不要在公共热点上进行金融交易。
- 使用VPN 免费软件(VPN freeware)并通常采取一些基本步骤来 保护自己在公共 WiFi 热点上的安全(secure yourself at public WiFi hotspots)。
- 尽可能实施双因素身份验证。
- 仅在需要登录时访问使用HTTPS加密的网站。(HTTPS)
- 禁用手机上的自动Wi-Fi连接功能。(Wi-Fi)
了解如何修复公共和家庭 Wi-Fi 网络漏洞。在相关说明中，想阅读这篇关于 WiFi 对您的健康、孩子和在家安全(Is WiFi safe for your health, children, and at home)吗？
Dangers of free public WiFi hotspots
Nowadays free Wi-Fi is available almost everywhere – in Cafe’s, Hotels, Offices – and even in the streets and general public places. Who does not get tempted to use free WiFi to check their mail and social media updates? Well, today, we will see the dangers of free public WiFi hotspots, most of which you probably already know.
Dangers of free WiFi
How to hack Computers at Public WiFi Hotspots
I am not giving a step by step procedure to hacking. I never tried it. You can visit the Darknet for tutorials on the topic. Darknet is the non-indexed part of the Internet where crime thrives.
So how does this happen? The Hacker places himself between you and the WiFi network and intercepts everything you send including the passwords, emails credit card information and other data. He can then misuse this information. This called as the Man in the Middle Attack.
But one need not really get to the Darknet and search for tutorials on how to hack. There are plenty of software available on the regular Internet, as well, to help you hack others’ computers and mobile devices. For example, you can download software that converts your laptop into a WiFi Hotspot – if your computer is already connected to the Internet. If you use that software at a public place, others there will confuse your computer with the public hotspot and will connect to it without giving it a second thought. The Hacker could thus set up a free WiFi point and hope you connect to it – or he can even force your device to connect to it. He then steals all the information that you transmit.
With the help of such software, you can have a setup to peep into others computers and tablets or even smartphones connected to your computer, assuming it to be a public WiFi. With a little luck, you can also find out software that might help you take over others computers and do what you want instead of what the actual user wants.
The aim of this section is to provide you with information on how easy it could be to hack others’ Internet devices using the different software at a public place. It also tells you what risks you are at, when at a public place and willing to use their hotspots. It does not teach you, however, to hack others’ computers. The only way around here is to avoid using the public hotspot and carry an Internet dongle or card of your own. And never to use a hotspot that does not have a password as it may not be a real hotspot.
Read: Wi-Fi security when Traveling.
What information can be Hacked at Public WiFi
If a person manages to access your computer, he or she can easily check out what you are doing – by checking out the packets incoming and outgoing from your computer. She or he may also access your screen to see what all windows are open and what are you working at. The person may also check into your browsing history and see what you were looking at, until a few minutes ago. It depends on the time you are at the public place and how the patient is the hacker.
The hacker may also take control of your computer and redirect you to other websites rather than the ones you wish to access. Sometimes, it may be lookalikes of the website you wish to visit and may steal the password and ID required to log in – just as phishing works. Sniffing the outgoing and incoming packets on the hacked network too, allows the criminal to figure out websites you are using and the login credentials for the sites.
Besides, the hacker may know your operating system, computer configuration, browsers you have been using, and other similar information. In short, the criminal-minded may access all the data on your computer as if he or she were using your computer with your permission.
So, what do you do to avoid such instances?
Avoid using public hotspots as much as you can. Never go for financial transactions on public hotspots.
- Use a VPN freeware and generally take some basic steps to secure yourself at public WiFi hotspots.
- Implement two-factor authentication wherever possible.
- Only visit websites with HTTPS encryption when you need to log in.
- Disable the automatic Wi-Fi connectivity feature on your phone.
Learn how to fix Public and Home Wi-Fi Network vulnerabilities. On a related note, want to read this post on Is WiFi safe for your health, children, and at home?
