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Today when communication is traveling at a blazingly fast speed without any actual restriction of place and time, Wi-Fi connections are increasingly used by organizations of all sizes as well as individuals. Wi-Fi creates a new level of freedom from wired Internet network and connectivity by supporting various back-office and front office applications. However, when compared to wired Internet connectivity, Wi-Fi connectivity is often doubted on security terms, however if rightly deployed then Wi-Fi Infrastructure can be made as secure as wired networks. Even though WLANs can be made safer than ever but the concern for security of data always bugs as there are various subtle threats that can impair the Wi-Fi connectivity. This happens because by design, Wi-Fi connection is a kind of open connection, where it is hardly known who else is there in the network. Hence, it is very important to get connected to a secured Wi-Fi network only. For this it is imperative to have knowledge about the most possible threats that can damage Wi-Fi connectivity. 1. The evil twin This is a new type of threat to Wi-Fi users. It is named as evil twin because this rouge access point copies the name of another network, probably a hotspot or a secure network, and promotes itself as an authentic access point. Doing so, Evil Twin lures the users to mistakenly log into the wrong access point. Once the user signs in, his network data as well as computer’s data get vulnerable to the hacker. 2. The promiscuous client Just like evil twin, even promiscuous client is an opportunistic hazard to the Wi-Fi connection. Where the evil twin lures the users through a fake name there, the promiscuous client tempts its clients by offering an irresistibly strong signal. There are heavy chances that looking at the high speed of connectivity, users are likely to fall pray of the threat. So, it is recommended that when user comes across a new access point promising incredible speed than judging the authenticity of the connection is imperative for secure Wi-Fi connectivity. 3. Bluesnarfing and Bluejacking These two threats are more likely to attack Bluetooth-enabled wireless devices by making them open to attack. Through Bluejacking, unauthorized users can send messages to the hijacked phone or laptop. Through Bluesnarfers, the hijacker can steal data from the phone. Hence, Bluesnarfing and Bluejacking are major threats as the hijacker can get access to the data stored in the phone like passwords and also can persuade users through messages and all. The biggest problem in this regard is that crimes done using Bluesnarfing and Bluejacking can’t be traced. Hence, the hacker who succeeds in getting access to a device through these two processes can do anything with the data and can’t be even traced through forensics investigation. To secure the Wi-Fi connectivity from the aforementioned or other threats, awareness is the best fortification. Users should know about the existing risks and must try to stay clear off the threats by double-checking the security settings. Although various methods have come that enables secured deployment of Wi-Fi connection but yet it is important on users’ part to avoid pairing up with unsecured network. About the Author: Brooke M. Perry is an ardent technician associated with Qresolve computer security, with wide experience of fixing issues with PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones. With a strong track record of devising effective ways of online pc support and system security, she has so far helped thousands of users across the globe. Her writings on tech issues are the reflection of her in-depth interest and command she carries as a online tech support technician. Her blogs and articles have been rated high for their lucid style and easy to understand language.
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