How Easy Is It to Hack a Wi-Fi Network?

Wi-Fi myth busting

First of all, we must separate Wi-Fi myths from the truth. For example, password difficulty means far less than you think, what really matters is the network security standard. WEP and WPA can be easily compromised; therefore the only decent viable solution is WPA2. Some people say that you must hide your network from peering eyes (in other words it won’t appear on the server list), but this isn’t true either, and was debunked years ago. Others believe in the power of MAC filtering, but it turned out to be a fake prophet, as most Wi-Fi devices can be programmed in a way to mimic an existing MAC address, fooling the filter entirely.

Keep yourself protected

It’s important to note that there is no 100% guarantee to keep a Wi-Fi connection safe or to prevent others from stealing info through a hacked hotspot. The best course of action is to discourage keyboard jockeys from attempting a hack by creating a defense line so strong that the break-in isn’t worth their time and effort. For your home router you can do the following: set the encryption to WPA2 and utilized a complex password. Reduce the signal strength to only cover your rooms, and nothing else. There are some rumors flying around that even aluminum mesh is capable of significantly increasing the building’s shielding ability.

The most recommended security measure, however, is without a doubt a VPN that encrypts all data traffic done through the network. Connecting to a VPN protects you from exposed Wi-Fi hotspots in town, while setting up the service on your router extends the safety net to all devices, including smartphones, games consoles and smart TVs.

The risk will only increase

Better take this warning seriously, as exposed Wi-Fi connections are a growing risk worldwide. Security experts pointed out long ago that public internet access has zero encryption. As Robert Graham, CEO of Errata Security pointed out: “If you’re using Wi-Fi in a public place and you’re not getting hacked, it’s only because there’s nobody around bothering to do it”. As technology continues to progress, it will become more and more easy to exploit flaws in outdated Wi-Fi protection. The risk of getting busted mid-action is minimal, but the possible reward is high. Just think about what a scammer or ransomer would do with your personal or financial data. The promise of an easy get-rich scheme would eventually prompt hacking enthusiasts to start praying on unsuspecting netizens. The best you can do is prepare yourself in advance.