The attacks over Wi-Fi They can be a major problem and the truth is that they are more present than we often believe. They can intercept connections and, with this, steal personal data, passwords or access devices. In this article we are going to talk about a method that has been used a lot in recent times. We are going to explain what it is and what you can do to protect yourself.
It is known as an attack Wi-Fi Karma. It is a method they use to deceive people who connect to the wireless network. They are going to try to get you to trust a Wi-Fi network and, in this way, scam you. You may fall into the trap without realizing it, but you can take steps to avoid the problem.
Wi-Fi Karma Attack
But what exactly is this Wi-Fi Karma attack? It consists of you trusting a network, which really is not what it seems. They are going to take advantage of what is known as NLP or preferred network list, in Spanish. When you connect to a network, the name is saved so you can connect more quickly in the future.
For example, that NLP list will include your home Wi-Fi, but also other networks that you use frequently. It could be a coffee shop where you sometimes go, a library where you connect your computer, etc. What your device does is emit a signal or ping to see if there is a network available nearby that meets those characteristics (the name you have saved).
An attacker takes advantage and creates a Wi-Fi network with that same SSID. For example, if you are in the library area, your computer would connect to that network that it already recognizes. But what if that attacker has created a similar network, simply to attack you? That’s where the problem begins. This is exactly what is known as a Wi-Fi Karma attack. It is the act of creating a fake network and taking advantage of when a computer is going to emit a signal to search for networks that it trusts.
What the attacker does is “listen” to the sending of connection requests. For example, let’s say you have a saved network called Library. Upon hearing the “Library” request, the attacker will replicate that SSID and request the connection. The victim connects and enters what is known as a Man-in-The-Middle attack, which is basically when the attacker places himself between the device and the network.
Avoid this attack
Is there anything you can do to prevent this attack known as Wi-Fi Karma? The best is limit Wi-Fi networks that you store on your device. In this way, the probability of success will be lower. Be careful not to save networks such as “Free Internet”, “FreeWiFi” and similar. Those are exactly the ones that can be the most dangerous.
In addition to this advice, it is also key to have your updated devices. If you have all the patches installed, you will be able to solve any problems and vulnerabilities that may exist. Precisely, preventing them from emitting a network search signal is something that will help you protect your Wi-Fi network.
you could also disable automatic connection. With this, you will prevent your computer from connecting to a Wi-Fi network simply by detecting it. You will have to connect manually, which will waste time, but you will gain security and thus avoid problems that could affect you. You should always see what devices are connected to Wi-Fi and also avoid connecting to networks that may be insecure.
As you can see, the Wi-Fi Karma attack is one more problem that you can suffer if you do not take adequate measures to protect yourself. It is essential that you constantly review, that you do not have many networks stored or that you do not make mistakes when connecting.
