Menu
The simple answer is yes, and you’d be surprised how easy it can be!
Whether you’re working remotely from a coffee shop, checking email from an airport lounge, or streaming Movies from home – your WiFi connection (yes, even your home network) may be vulnerable to attacks from cybercriminals.
Hackers can hack your router, spy on your WiFi connection, and even eavesdrop on your conversations to steal personal information such as credit card details, passwords to your social media accounts, and even compromise your online banking apps.
While WiFi hacking isn’t as common as ransomware or other types of social engineering attacks, it’s still a significant threat.
For example, hackers recently exploited unprotected routers to steal the data of Optus & Medibank customers. It’s not just multinational corporations that are at risk of router hacking; consumers and small businesses are at risk, too.
Because working from home increased during the coronavirus pandemic, hackers are increasingly targeting home networks. Millions of households are still using outdated and unpatched routers.
Unfortunately, the average person is not familiar enough with this problem, nor are they aware of the solutions available to protect their home or office Network from being hacked
Brute-force hacking your WiFi password: Hackers can attempt thousands of different password combinations to gain access to your router’s internal settings. If your network password is cracked, hackers can change the passwords and lock you out of your network.
Using the manufacturer’s default password: Hackers will use the manufacturer’s default admin password to gain access to your router and change its settings. That’s why you must always change your router’s default password. You should also create a unique SSID (wireless network name). Never use the default SSID.
Exploiting an unpatched firmware vulnerability: Cybercriminals can exploit an unpatched firmware vulnerability to access the router’s internal settings. If your network has an internet connection, it’s vulnerable to being hacked by a skilled cybercriminal, regardless of whether you’re using a firewall or not.
DNS hijacking: Cybercriminals can also trick you into visiting malicious sites using an emerging cyber threat. For instance, a hacker can conduct a DNS hijacking attack by breaking into your router and changing the DNS settings so that it redirects your traffic to harmful phishing websites.
If someone hacks your WiFi or Network, they can monitor all of your unencrypted traffic.
That means they can spy on data sent across your network from all of your devices. They can monitor cameras and other smart devices on your network and even obtain personal information like your name, address, and financial account details.
In other words, they will have all the information necessary to steal your identity and commit fraud.
At the same time, they can also download harmful videos and files to your network, infect devices with malware or ransomware, and commit further cyber attacks.
Unfortunately, your mobile phone also can be hacked via WiFi.
Any product connected to the internet without proper security can be hacked, including a baby monitor. That’s why you must never use the default Wi-Fi router settings, and consider securing your home network in order to mask your online footprint and minimize the risk of exposure to hackers.
Here’s a disturbing example of what happened to a mother in the UK. Her two year old son was experiencing sleep issues for weeks. Turns out, a creepy man hacked the baby monitor and was shushing the baby in the middle of the night.
Cybercriminals have proven they can and will exploit unpatched routers with outdated router firmware to commit criminal acts. Unfortunately, many people aren’t prepared for this reality.