"Hidden dangers of free public WiFi"

Wednesday, October 4, 2006

Hidden dangers of free public WiFi
By Corey O'Donnell
ZDNet 


We all love the convenience of WiFi to stay connected anywhere our laptops
take us. In fact, you may be reading this article on your wireless-enabled
laptop now. But just as the availability of WiFi services proliferate, so
does the number of hackers ready to take advantage of unsuspecting road
warriors. Now, in addition to long check-in and security lines, the
uninformed have one more thing to be anxious about at the airport--identity
thieves. 

Research shows that free wireless public networks located in airports and
other public places are ripe for exploitation by hackers. Launch a freely
available network stumbler and you will quickly see far more advertised WiFi
spots than are sanctioned by the airport and its tenants-these are typically
consumers' computers attempting to connect. The ability to set up fake
"free" WiFi hotspots in public places and potentially use them to steal
sensitive data, such as online banking passwords or personal information, is
alarmingly easy to do. In fact, hacker Web sites provide instructions on how
such frauds can be accomplished. 

What most users do not know is that systems like Windows XP automatically
prompt the user to accept or decline connections to available wireless
networks. Naturally, most users will choose to connect to the 'Free WiFi'
access point, which may unknowingly connect them to a hacker's computer--a
computer-to-computer connection--rather than a direct connection to the
airport's official wireless access hub. To make matters worse, the SSID's
(network names) of wireless networks you've joined before are saved on your
system. Your PC will automatically log on to any network with that saved
name. So if a hacker offers a name familiar to you, he's just created a
clear path to fraud.

Users who connect to these "free" networks are at great risk of experiencing
a "channeling" attack. "Channeling" is a common practice used by hackers and
identity thieves to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks, with the objective of
stealing user names, passwords, and other sensitive data transmitted by the
user. The practice is disturbingly simple to carry out: By setting up an
unauthorized access point in an airport lounge, hackers can easily trap
passwords and other information without the user's knowledge.

With a large number of Windows XP devices configured to connect
automatically to ad-hoc networks, it is possible that a purpose-built 'WiFi
worm' could be used by criminals to infect laptops as they pass through
highly-trafficked WiFi hotspots, such as airports. This trend will
undoubtedly raise concerns among security administrators, as it is highly
likely, given the large percentage of non-updated computers, that these road
warriors will bring these infections back to the office with them, or infect
other wireless users in their travels.

What can you do? Here are some basic tips for protecting yourself in public
WiFi environments:

   . Before connecting to a network, look around and locate a sign that
advertises the network you are connecting to and verify that the network
name (SSID) you are connecting to is a legitimate service. 

   . Shut off your wireless card if you're not planning to connect to the
Web or another machine. It will protect you from intrusion and save your
battery life. 

   . Beware of the information you share in public locations. Even seemingly
innocuous logins to Web-mail accounts could give hackers access to get into
your more important data, since most people utilize the same password with a
few variants for almost all online activities. 

   . Utilize a VPN whenever possible to encrypt your data, and stronger
tools if you need to conduct secure transactions. 

   . Turn off shared folders. If you join a malicious network, a hacker
could easily load a malicious spyware agent to follow you even after you
leave the public location. 

   . Run a comprehensive security suite and keep it up to date to prevent
spyware and viruses. 

If you're a Windows user: 

   . In the Advanced settings of Wireless Network Connection properties
("Advanced" button on "Wireless Networks" tab), choose "Access Point
(infrastructure) networks only". The default is "Any available network" and
this is not safe. 

   . Turn off "Automatic Connection" to preferred networks in the Wireless
Network Connection properties so your network reads "On Demand". This will
prevent your computer connecting to unsafe networks that have the same name
as your home or office network. 

If you're a Mac user: 

   . In Network Preferences, choose By Default, join "Preferred Networks"
and edit your preferred network SSID's to include only trusted sources. 

   . Click "Options," and ensure "Ask before joining an open network" is
selected. Check the "Require Administrator Password to change networks" box,
and deselect the option to automatically add new networks to the preferred
list. 

By setting up open access points, criminals get you to step willingly onto
their turf, putting your sensitive data and everyone you connect to at risk.
But if we continue to play it safe and smart, we can stay one step ahead of
them and enjoy all the comforts of a secure WiFi world.

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