WIFI SECURITY FROM HACKER'S PERSPECTIVE
WIFI SECURITY FROM HACKER'S PERSPECTIVEStacy Case Williamson County Can you answer this question? Is your WIFI encrypted? If you don't know the answer, you could be setting yourself up for serious security issues. Right now, there are thieves after your money, your bank account information, and passwords to your accounts. That open door may just be your WIFI. Even though you think it's invisible, thieves can see your signal. Your wifi creates a web of malicious opportunity. Trevor Hearn, also known as Skydog, is a professional hacker who uses a Yagi antenna, special hacker software and other devices to break into a Williamson County mom's WIFI. He easily identifies her house as 'target home BF32' and gets to work. He's a hacker by trade and with her permission, is able to show how easy it really is. He says, We're basically beating on the network over and over and over and it's generating a specific packet we're looking for to be able to crack the encryption. After about 10 minutes, he gets the green light and cracks into her home. If he was a criminal he could collect bank account information. He says there's no big warning light that goes of when this takes place. The mom,who doesn't want to be identified for security reasons was dumbfounded that Skydog got in so easily. Some security encryption is just downright better than others. If you have WEP, you're a sitting duck. Hearn's hacker software showed us it's still in use all over the place. It's still in use all over the place. WPA is a little better, but the best is WPA2. Skydog reminds us a hacker doesn't have to be at your house or in your driveway. He took us to Love Circle over Downtown Nashville to make the point. Here, he got out a a 24db antenna and about a couple hundred dollars worth of equipment. He easily pulled up 500 potential networks in 10 minutes... enough potential targets to do untold financial damage. The software shows, in green, the easiest wifi networks to crack. Yellow is moderately easy and red is the hardest. Criminals could trade all of your data, all of your pictures of your holiday, install a key logger and wait for you to type in your credit card on Amazon. or your bank account information. So, what can you do to protect your network? First, if you're using WEP--- Stop! As a courtesy for letting him hack in, Skydog reconfigured this mom's security to WPA2. If you're using older equipment, you may have to get a new router alltogether. Second, turn off WPS. This is a quick wifi set up system many of us use to make the process easier. However, it makes it easier to hack. Finally, use different, complicated passwords for all of your accounts and change them often. Scott Augenbaum with the FBI has this advice, Think of a very, very strong robust pass phrase. So think about 'I worked as a security guard at Bloomingdale's in 1988.' Take the first letter of each one of those words. Then he says intersperse a symbol, a number and don't use any dictionary words. Remember, each account gets its own password, so if one is cracked... they're not all in jeopardy. That password should be at least 10 characters. The FBI says eight is too short. To be clear, Skydog only uses his skills to help companies and homeowners avoid attacks. If you aren't sure how to secure your network, you'll find directions in your router's manual. Consider hiring a professional if you need to. _______________ Stay up to date with our social media: WZTV on Facebook: / foxnashville WZTV on Twitter: / foxnashville Subscribe to WZTV on YouTube: / @fox17nashville Daily News Playlist: • Playlist For more information, visit https://fox17.com/ Have a news tip? Send it directly to us: Email us: [email protected] Call the Newsroom: 615.369.1717 Fox 17 provides local news, weather, sports, traffic and entertainment for Nashville and nearby towns and communities in Middle Tennessee, including Forest Hills, Brentwood, Franklin, Fairview, Dickson, Clarksville, White House, Greenbrier, Springfield, Gallatin, Hartsville, Lebanon, Mt Juliet, Smyrna, College Grove, Thompson’s Station, Centerville, Murfreesboro, Columbia, Lewisburg, Shelbyville, Manchester, McMinnville, Smithville, Sparta, Cookeville, Hohenwald, Waverly, Camden, Paris, Lafayette, Portland, and in Kentucky, Russelville, Bowling Green, Franklin, Alvaton, Scottsville, Hopkinsville, Glasgow. #WZTV #fox17news #foxnashville
