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How a Wi-Fi Hacker Snoops on Your Laptop and Mobile

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You have likely heard of the dangers of using unsecure public Wi-Fi, so you know that hackers are out there snooping. It is pretty easy to hack into a laptop or mobile device that is on a public Wi-Fi connection with no protection. Hackers can read your emails, steal passwords, and even hijack your website log ins.

Let’s imagine that you are in a local coffee shop with your laptop. All someone has to do is download a wireless network analyzer, which usually has a free trial, and with the right hardware and additional software they can often see what everyone is viewing online…unless they are protected. In some cases they can also read your emails that are going out and received, as well as texts you might be sending. Scary, right?

Tips on How to Use a Wi-Fi Hotspot Safely

You now know what you are up against when you connect to a public Wi-Fi spot, but you should also know that you can use them with some safety in mind. Here are some tips:

  • When you log onto a website, only use an encrypted connection. This means use the URL that begins with HTTPS, not HTTP. Keep an eye on that as you move from page to page because some sites will send you to an unsecured page, which makes you vulnerable.
  • There are also many websites out there that will allow you to encrypt your browsing session automatically. Facebook, for instance, has this. To turn it on, go to your “Security” settings on the site, and then enable “Secure Browsing.”
  • If you are going to check your email, login to your web browser and then ensure that your connection to your email client is encrypted. (Check by looking at HTTPS). If you are using Outlook, or another email client, make sure that your settings are set for encryption.
  • Don’t use any service that is not encrypted when you are on a public Wi-Fi connection.
  • Consider using a VPN when you are connecting to a public Wi-Fi connection. There is a small fee for this, but it’s well worth it.
  • Beware of “evil twins” which are rogue networks designed to mimic legitimate networks. Example “ATT WiFi” my be “Free ATT WiFi”. Other than downloading special software that detects evil twins, the best case is to ask someone who’s knowledgeable as to which network is the safest.
  • If you are on a private network, make sure you realize that they are also vulnerable. Anyone who knows how can spy on the network. Again, use WPA or WPA2 security so the connection is encrypted. However, if someone guesses or knows the password, they can still spy on any device that is connected

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity Protection security awareness training program.

Hackers Hacking Airport USB Ports

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Have you ever wondered if it’s a good idea to surf the internet using a public WiFi network at the airport? It’s heavily trafficked, so it’s more likely that your information could get stolen, right? In some cases, it is safe to use public WiFi; your information isn’t always entirely at risk if you’re connecting to the airport network but there are definitely vulnerabilities. And, when at the airport, you may want to rethink the urge to plug in your phone using one of the USB charging stations near the gate.

It is possible that cybercriminals could use those stations to download your personal data or install malware onto your device without your knowledge or consent. It’s a crime that’s being called juice jacking.

The IBM Security X-Force Threat Intelligence sector, says that using a public USB port for charging is similar to finding a toothbrush in the street and making the decision to put it in your mouth. You don’t know where the toothbrush has been, and the same applies to that USB port. You don’t know who used it before you and may not be aware that these USB ports can pass along data.

While it is possible for this to happen, it’s not necessarily an epidemic, and there isn’t a reason to panic just yet. There haven’t been widespread reports that juice-jacking has happened in airports (or anywhere else.) However, it could be happening without people knowing, which means it could be a significant issue, and no one knows it yet.

If you don’t like the idea of cybercriminals stealing your information and want to stay safe, do this:

Prevent Juice Jacking

  • Before leaving your house, make sure your phone is fully charged if possible.
  • Buy a second charger that stays with you or in your car at all times, and make a habit of keeping your phone charged while you drive.
  • Of course, there will be times when you’re out and about, and before you realize it, your device has gotten low on power. And it’s time to hunt for a public charging station.
  • Have a cord with you at all times. This will enable you to use a wall socket.
  • Turn off your phone to save batt. But for many people, this will not happen, so don’t just rely only on that tactic.
  • Plug your phone directly into a public socket whenever you can.
  • If you end up using the USB attachment at the station, make a point of viewing the power source. A hidden power source is suspicious.
  • If bringing a cord with you everywhere is too much of a hassle, did you know you can buy a power-only USB cord on which it’s impossible for any data to be transferred?
  • Another option is an external battery pack. This will supply an addition of power to your device.
  • External batteries, like the power-only USB cord, do not have data transfer ability, and thus can be used at any kiosk without the possibility of a data breach.
  • Search “optimize battery settings” iPhone or Android and get to work.

Robert Siciliano personal security and identity theft expert and speaker is the author of Identity Theft Privacy: Security Protection and Fraud Prevention: Your Guide to Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft and Computer Fraud. See him knock’em dead in this Security Awareness Training video.

10 Ways to Prevent Holiday Shopping Scams

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The winter holidays: a time for festivities and … fraud-tivities.

Gift Card Grab

Never, ever enter your credit card or other sensitive information to claim a gift card that comes via email.

Never Buy Over Public WiFi

Shopping over public WiFi means your credit card, bank account or login data could get picked up by a cyber thief. Use a VPN.

Coupon Cautious

If a coupon deal seems too good to be true, then assume it is. End of story. Next.

Password Housekeeping

  • Change the passwords for all your sensitive accounts.
  • No two passwords should be the same.
  • Passwords should be a random salad of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols – at least 12 total.
  • A password manager can ease the hassle.

Two Step Verification

  • A login attempt will send a one-time numerical code to the user’s phone.
  • The user must type that code into the account login field to gain access.
  • Prevents unauthorized logins unless the unauthorized user has your phone AND login credentials.

Think Before You Click

  • Never click links that arrive in your in-box that supposedly linking to a reputable retailer’s site announcing a fantastic sale.
  • Kohl’s, Macy’s, Walmart and other giant retailers don’t do this. And if they do, ignore them.
  • So who does this? Scammers. They hope you’ll click the link because it’ll download a virus.
  • The other tactic is that the link will take you to a mock spoofed site of the retailer, lure you into making a purchase, and then a thief will steal your credit card data.

Bank and Credit Card Security

  • Find out what kind of security measures your bank has and then use them such as caps on charges or push notifications.
  • Consider using a virtual credit card number that allows a one-time purchase. It temporarily replaces your actual credit card number and is worthless to a thief.

Job Scams

Forget the online ad that promises $50/hour or $100 for completing a survey. If you really need money then get a real job.

Monthly Self-Exam

For financial health: Every month review all your financial statements to see if there is any suspicious activity. Even an unknown charge for $1.89 is suspicious, because sometimes, crooks make tiny purchases to gage the account holder’s suspicion index. Report these immediately.

Https vs. http

  • The “s” at the end means the site is secure.
  • Do all your shopping off of https sites.
  • In line with this, update your browser as well.

Robert Siciliano personal security and identity theft expert and speaker is the author of Identity Theft Privacy: Security Protection and Fraud Prevention: Your Guide to Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft and Computer Fraud. See him knock’em dead in this Security Awareness Training video.

Beware of those hackable Holiday Gifts

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If you’re going to drone on and on about how you got hacked by a cyber thief, maybe it’s because you played with your new drone—you know, those rad little flying devices that hover via remote control over your street? Yes, they are hackable.

5WIf you don’t have a drone, don’t be surprised if you get one as a gift this season, as Americans are spending tens and tens of millions of dollars on them.

First off, if you spot a drone, before you go, “Wow, cool, there’s a drone! Kids, come look at this!” consider the possibility that it’s spying on you.

Drones can be connected to the Internet and also have a camera—two ways the cyber crook could spy on you. If something is connected through Wi-Fi, it can hacked, and this includes wireless Bluetooth.

So this means that your drone or your kids’ drone could get hacked into. To guard against this, you must continually keep its firmware updated, and use a password-protected Wi-Fi.

So even though the drone is your nine-year-old’s “toy,” it’s a potential gateway for hackers to slither their way into your bank account, medical records and online accounts. And since the drone can be the hacker’s portal, so can your child’s other remote controlled, Wi-Fi connected devices.

Every device, even a remote controlled car that’s connected to Wi-Fi, should at a minimum have the latest software updates or in some cases have security software to protect against viruses and other malware and also phishing scams.

And it’s not just thieves who want to hack into your personal affairs to get your money. A hacker may be a pedophile, seeking ways to find victims.

A hacker could get in even through an application you just downloaded. Before downloading anything, you should read what the app has access to. You may be unknowingly granting permission for the app to access e-mails or turn on cameras.

Anything that’s “smart” – not just the smartphone, smartdrone, Ebook or tablet – can be a portal to a cybercriminal. This means that smartwatches are on this list. So are those fitness trackers you put on your arm. A hacker could get into your phone via that device on your upper arm that’s tracking your heart rate.

So before you do the “cool!” thing, first do the “security!” thing. Be mindful of what you purchase and the measures you take to protect it.

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to BestIDTheftCompanys.com discussing identity theft prevention.

How to kick People off your Wi-Fi

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If someone is “borrowing” your Wi-Fi service, there’s more to this than just the nerve of someone secretly mooching off of you.

2WTheir use of your service could interfere with bandwidth and mess up your connection. If they’re a bad guy hacker or even a skeevy child porn peddling pedophile and get caught, it can be traced to your connection—and you will have a lot of explaining to do to the authorities when they bang on your door at 4am with a battering ram.

How can you tell if someone’s riding on your signal?

  • Log into your router to see what’s connected.
  • For less techy people, use the free Wireless Network Watcher to get the list of connected devices.
  • Do all the devices on the list belong to you? Any that don’t? Ones that don’t are thieves. You will not know, of course, how often they mooch off you unless you bring up the list regularly.
  • Make a record of this device/gadget list (or take a screenshot).

How do you figure out whom the user is?

  • Their devices name may coincide with their real name, address or other identifying information.
  • But knowing who they are isn’t important. Just encrypt your Wi-Fi network, as this will usually stop the mooching.

Encryption is key.

  • Keep in mind a savvy Wi-Fi thief can get past WEP encryption. If this is the case, change your password and make sure you are at least on WPA encryption. Then recheck the device list.

Upgrade and update.

  • Unfortunately, many routers have security flaws and hackers can still sneak in through a backdoor in your router.
  • Make a backup of your settings, take screenshots if necessary. You will need to reset the router to factory settings, update all software and firmware, and then set things up all over again.
  • Bear in mind that changing the encryption password means you will have to update the password on every one of your devices.

What if there’s no intruder but your connection is still slow?

  • Evaluate your Internet speed: Do a search for “internet speed test” and see what you are supposed to be getting.
  • Check your “throughput”. Throughput is the measurement of data speeds within your home network. You can check your throughput with numerous online tools. This will show if your Wi-Fi speed is slower than the Internet speed.
  • Determine how many devices your router will support. Some routers bog down after 5-7 devices. Many homes may have as many as 10-20 devices connected and not realize it. If so, you may have too many devices in the household. Disconnect all but one, then check the speed. If this is the cause, then you need a new router that can handle multiple connections.
  • If you only have a few devices connected, however, then you may need a modem upgrade or router upgrade. Consumers already know their devices constantly need upgrading so shouldn’t be surprised that their modem and router need to be swapped out every couple three years.

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to TheBestCompanys.com discussing  identity theft prevention.

Why use a VPN?

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If you want to be a pro at privacy, here’s a tip: When it’s time to go online, whether it’s at an airport lounge, coffee house, hotel, or any other public Wi-Fi spot, don’t log into any of your accounts unless you use a virtual private network (VPN).

8DA VPN is a technology that creates a secure connection over an unsecured network. It’s important to use because a hacker can potentially “see” your login information on an unsecured network. For instance, when you log in to your bank account, the hacker may be able to record your information, and even take money from your account.

Here are a few other important things to remember about unsecured networks:

  • It’s possible for cyber snoops to see your transactions, including email.
  • Snoopers and bad hackers can spy on the sites you visit and will know the passwords and usernames you use to access any account.
  • A Wi-Fi spot itself can be malicious, in that it was set up by a cybercriminal.
  • Even a reputable Wi-Fi spot, like that at a name-brand hotel, could be tainted. Hackers can use software to hijack Internet connections and trick users into using fake web addresses.

The good news is that you can subscribe to a VPN service for a low monthly fee. Now, if you have a VPN, you can feel at ease logging into any site on public Wi-Fi, because a VPN scrambles, or encrypts, all cyber transmissions. So to a snoop or hacker, your passwords, email messages and everything else will appear as unintelligible garble.

In addition to encrypting your transactions, most VPNs will conceal your device’s IP address. What you’re doing and which sites you are visiting will be under lock and key. This will stop companies from snatching users’ browsing habits and other data and sharing it with other online entities.

So, if your schedule doesn’t permit you the luxury of doing all your important Web surfing on your secure home Wi-Fi, and you often find yourself logging on to your bank’s site or other accounts while you’re away from home, remember that you really need a VPN. Because, when you are on an unsecured network, everything you do on your computer gets laid out on a silver platter for the cyberthugs.

Your information could be compromised, or your device could get infected and crash, wiping out all of your files.

A hacker might even threaten to wipe out your files if you don’t pay a ransom. The bottom line is that anything is possible when using public Wi-Fi, but VPNs can end all these concerns.

Robert Siciliano is an Online Safety Expert to Intel Security. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked! Disclosures.

Back to school Tech Security Tips for College Students

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Some of us remember college dorm days, when students were envied if they had their own typewriter. These days, college students must have a personal laptop computer, and a smartphone, and their lives revolve around these connected devices.  Such dependency should be proactively protected from loss or theft.  Campus security now means more than just being beware of who might be hiding in the bushes at night.

1SWhen you send your college kid off into the world, you want them to be prepared for life’s curveballs, and unfortunately, the occasional criminal too. How prepared are they? How prepared are you? Do you or they know that if they leave their GPS service on, some creep could be “following” them? Are they aware of how to lock down their devices to prevent identity theft?

For cybersecurity and personal security, college students should:

How might students get hacked and how can they prevent it?

  • They can fall for a scam via a campus job board, the institution’s e-mail system, off-campus public Wi-Fi or on social media. Be aware of what you click on.
  • It’s easy for devices to be stolen; never leave devices alone whether it’s in the library or a café.
  • Shoulder surfing: Someone peers over their shoulder in the study lounge or outside on a bench to see what’s on their computer screen. A privacy filter will make shoulder surfing difficult.
  • Be careful when buying a used device (which can be infected) and simply taking it as is. Wipe it clean and start fresh with the installation of a new operating systems.
  • If you’re not using your devices, consider keeping them in a lockbox or a hidden place instead of exposed in a shared living space like a dorm.
  • All devices should have a password protected screen lock.
  • Data should be backed up every day. Imagine how you’d feel if you lost that term paper you’ve been slaving over!
  • Get a password manager, which will create strong, complex passwords unique to every account. And you won’t have to remember them.
  • Avoid jailbreaking your smartphone, as this increases its hackability.
  • Avoid using public Wi-Fi for transactions involving money or sensitive information, since hackers could easily snoop on the data transmissions. A virtual private network (VPN) will prevent snooping by encrypting transactions.

All devices should have security software that should be updated automatically. Virus scans should be done every day, or at least no less frequently than once a week.

Robert Siciliano is an Online Safety Expert to Intel Security. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked! Disclosures.

Don’t’s and Do’s when using Public Wi-Fi

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Curl up in a chair at your favorite coffee house, the aroma of premium coffee filling the air, take a few sips of your 700 calorie latte, and then enter cyberspace. Little do you know that you could have a stalker. Or two. Or 3,000. Because public Wi-Fi is there for the picking for hackers. Online transmissions can be intercepted. The credit card number that you enter onto that retailer’s site can be “seen.”

3WDon’t Do These at a Public Wi-Fi Site

  • Never leave your spot without your device on you—not even for a moment. You may come back and still see your computer where you left it…but a thief may have installed a keylogger into it to capture your keystrokes.
  • Do not e-mail messages of a sensitive or serious nature.
  • When your computer begins seeking out a network to connect to…do not let it just drift to the first one it wants; see if you can choose one.
  • Don’t leave on your file sharing.
  • If you’re not using your wireless card, then do not leave it on.
  • Don’t do banking or any other sensitive activities.
  • Don’t position your device so that someone nearby can see the screen.

Yes, Do These when at a Public Wi-Fi Spot

  • Look around before you settle into a nice spot.
  • Sit somewhere so that your back is facing a wall.
  • Assume all Wi-Fi links are suspicious—kind of like assuming all drivers are drunk whenever you go out driving. A wireless link may have been set up by a hacker.
  • See if you can confirm that a given Wi-Fi link is legitimate.
  • Assume that if the connection name is similar to the Wi-Fi spot, that this could mean that the hacker was clever. Inquire of the manager of the coffee shop, hotel, etc., for information about their Wi-Fi access point.
  • You should consider using your cell phone for sensitive activities such as online shopping.
  • But cell phone or not, see if you could avoid visiting sites that can make it easier for hackers to nab your data—sites such as banking, social media and any site where your credit card information is stored.

Use a VPN. This stands for virtual private network. What a VPN does is create an impervious tunnel through which your data travels. Hackers cannot penetrate this tunnel, nor can they “see” through it. Your data is safe. The tunnel encrypts all of your banking and other sensitive transactions, as well as sensitive e-mail communications, plus downloads, you name it. With a virtual private network, you will not have to worry about a thief or snoop intercepting your transmissions.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to Hotspot Shield. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him discussing internet and wireless security on Good Morning America. Disclosures.

How to prevent being tracked

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You worry about being hacked, but what about being tracked? Yes, there are hackers and then there are trackers.

8DInternet tracking namely refers to the user’s browsing habits being followed. But there are ways to make the trackers harder to tag behind you.

  • Duhh, a fake name. What an innovative idea! It’s amazing how many people have their real name splashed all over cyberspace. Sure, you should use it for LinkedIn, and also Facebook if you want your childhood classmates to find you. But do you really need to use it for accounts like Disqus that allow you to post comments to articles? If you want to provide feedback to a site, must you use your real full name?
  • Use a virtual private network (VPN), as this will mask your IP address and others from tracking you. A VPN will encrypt your activities on open WiFi too. Hotspot Shield is a VPN provider; it’s compatible with iOS, Android, Mac and PC.
  • Now you may think, “What’s so bad about being tracked? So what if cookies know I keep clicking on all the Miley Cyrus articles?” Well true, so what.
  • But what if cookies also find that you’ve been clicking on an awful lot of articles about heavy weight training? You’ve been doing research for an article you want to write for your latest magazine assignment or maybe your son is interested in weightlifting. What if this timeline coincides with when you’re suing someone for smashing into your car while you were in it, causing back injury? The defendant’s attorney may uncover you’ve been researching heavy weight training, and this doesn’t look good for someone claiming a bad back.
  • Before you begin browsing, make sure you’re logged out of social networks. This means finding the “logout” or “sign-out” tab and clicking its options, rather than just closing out the site tab. Otherwise, more tracking.
  • Make sure your cookies are cleared before and after browsing.
  • If you use Twitter, go to the basic account settings to a box called “Tailor Twitter based on my recent website visits,” and make sure it’s unchecked.
  • Have JavaScript blocked when filling out forms. An extension called NoScript will block companies from using JavaScript for tracking you when you fill out their forms. However, think hard before you do this, because there are so many additional uses for JavaScript, and if you have a browser add-on that blocks it, it will probably slow loading times. Techy people will know how to set up the add-on so that it blocks JavaScript only for certain companies.
  • Disposable e-mail address. You can be tracked with your e-mail address—unless it’s a disposable one. Some services provide addresses that dissipate after a few minutes, while others provide addresses for longer use. Your e-mail carrier may also provide the option of creating additional e-mail addresses by adding characters to your name in the primary e-mail, so that these additional e-mails can be used and forwarded to the original.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to Hotspot Shield. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him discussing internet and wireless security on Good Morning America. Disclosures.

The High Performance Router for a Many-Device Home

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You will love the Tri-Band WiFi technology; it can connect all of your devices at the same time. The only router capable of this is the Netgear Nighthawk X6 AC3200 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router (a.k.a. Netgear R8000).

NETGEARThis router provides three connections and has six wing-like antennas. Another feature is the ReadyShare USB. The user who’d really be interested in the Netgear R8000 is the one who has all sorts of electronics like a complete entertainment system, desktop PCs, a few laptops, game consoles, smartphones, etc.

But even if you have just five devices in your house, you may still wish to consider this high performance router to smooth out all of your connections and eliminate any hiccups. All of the gadgets can be connected, something that regular routers can’t do.

This high performing router has Broadcom’s Xstream platform, which can prioritize incoming traffic and prevents slow traffic from impeding fast traffic.

Some Key Specifications

  • Selects the fastest Internet connection for every device
  • Memory: 128 MB Flash and 256 MB RAM
  • WiFi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2—PSK)
  • WiFi Technology: 802.11ac Tri-Band Gigabit
  • WiFi Performance: AC3200 (600 + 1300 + 1300 Mbps)
  • The WiFi range works for very large households.
  • WiFi Band: Simultaneous Tri-Band WiFi – Tx/Rx 3×3 (2.4GHz) + 3×3 (5GHz) + 3×3 (5GHz)
  • Ethernet Ports: Five (5) 10/100/1000 (1 WAN and 4 LAN) Gigabit ethernet ports
  • VPN support for secure remote access
  • Denial-of-service (DoS) attack prevention
  • Double firewall protection (SPI and NAT)
  • System requirements: Microsoft Windows 7, 8, Vista, 2000, Mac OS, UNIX or Linux
    Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0, Safari 1.4, Firefox 2.0 or Google Chrome 11.0 browsers or higher

Ready to set up the Netgear R8000?

  • Follow the instructions in the manual.
  • The instructions are not complicated.
  • After setting it up, go to routerlogin.net. The default password is “password” and the default username is “admin.” The setup wizard will get it installed for Internet access.
  • Once your connection is established, you can figure out what you’d like in your network.
  • The advanced menu will allow you to configure more features. Play around with the advanced menu to see what you might like.
  • Use the latest firmware.
  • Go to netgear.com/home/discover/apps/genie.aspx to download the Netgear Genie, an application that will monitor and control your new router and network. The Genie offers additional features like parental controls.

The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $299, and that comes with a limited one-year warranty. But look around; you may find a sale price.

The Tri-Band feature really sets the Netgear R8000 apart from other routers. The one challenge with this router is its horizontal, rather than vertical, expansion. But that’s really just a minor little issue when you consider all that this router can do, like take on multiple connections simultaneously—without any glitches. Other outstanding features:

  • Will enable multiple use of electronics in the household without anyone experiencing compromised loading times or any other sluggishness; no congestion. So while one person watches YouTube, another downloads files and a third watches a show while also using a smartphone, nobody’s online experiences will be hampered.
  • Is ideal for a household with a lot of devices.

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to TheBestCompanys.com discussing  identity theft prevention.