How to attack wireless network
When it comes to networks, wireless attacks have become a very common security issue. This is due to the fact that such attacks have the potential to obtain a significant amount of information being sent across a network and use it to commit crimes in other networks. Every wireless network is extremely susceptible to these attacks, so it is crucial to implement all necessary security measures in order to avoid the chaos that such attacks may cause. The information being shared through the networks is the usual target of these attacks. Therefore, it is crucial to be aware of these attacks so that one can recognise them should they occur. The following list of typical network attacks is provided.
wireless attacks examples
Rogue access points
A rouge access point is an access point that has been covertly added to a network. One is completely unaware that it exists. If one is unfamiliar with it and does not have full control over it, this scenario has the potential to open up a back door. This access point could lead to significant security concerns.
One is because a wireless access point can be plugged into it very easily. It becomes very simple to add extra workstations and access points to one's network if one is not using any kind of network access control protocols.
Hacking wireless networks
Network access controls can be implemented to prevent this, or one can occasionally take a walk around their building to look for access points they are unaware of. One can use specialised software that is available online to see everything that is happening in their wireless network.
Another option is to use the 802.1X Network Control Access, which requires users to authenticate to the network each time they plug in a device to a wired or wireless network. This won't necessarily stop people from connecting an access point, but it will make it necessary for those connecting to that access point to authenticate using the procedures one has set up.
Jamming/Interference
Interference with wireless signals essentially refers to network disruption. The fact that wireless signals will always be interrupted makes this a very difficult task. A cordless phone, a microwave, and a Bluetooth headset can all cause this interference. This makes wireless signal transmission and reception very challenging.
In order to ensure that one completely blocks access to a particular service, wireless interference can also be caused by degrading service. Jamming might also be combined with an evil twin.
If interference occurs, preventing it should be one's top priority. One method is to use a spectrum analyzer to pinpoint what might be the cause of the jamming issue. To analyse one's traffic, simple software can be used. However, some spectrum analyzers may not be as simple to use as others, so training may be necessary.
Another option is to increase the power of already-existing access points, which will overwhelm any other devices that may be the source of the interference. You could also experiment with various frequencies. One can channel one's signals to operate at different frequencies if the bad guys are causing interference by picking a specific band of frequencies to block one's signals. One may also choose to track down the offending signal's source to remove it from the network and enable regular network communication.
Evil twin
A wireless evil twin primarily enters the picture when thieves attempt to set up fake access points in order to gain access to the network or to information being sent through a network. It is very easy to create an evil twin because all one needs to do is buy a wireless access point, connect it to the network, and configure it exactly like the current network. Open access points without associated passwords are capable of doing this. Once one has developed an access point, one connects it to the network so that it can take the place of other existing access points and become the primary access point. Due to this, people will often choose their evil twin because it has a stronger network signal. The person in charge of the access point will be able to see all of the data being sent throughout the network thanks to this.
Encrypting your data is one method of defending yourself against a malicious twin. This prevents those who have created the evil twin from reading information, even if they manage to capture it.
War driving
Bad guys often use war driving to locate access points wherever they may be. They can drive around and gather a tremendous amount of information in a very short amount of time thanks to the availability of free Wi-Fi connections and other GPS functionalities. To see every single access point nearby, one can also use specialised software. An individual is in a position to create a very large database with this information, which he or she can use to ascertain where they can access a wireless signal.
Bluejacking
Similar to hacking, blue jacking is a type of illegal activity where one can use Bluetooth to send unwanted messages to another device. This is regarded as Bluetooth spam, and your screen might start to pop up with messages. Where a Bluetooth network is present, bluejacking is feasible, but it is restricted to ten metres, the maximum distance a Bluetooth device can send a file to another device. Rarely does it rely on antennae. Bluejacking operates under the premise that it makes use of the features that make using our mobile devices convenient for us, one of which is the ability to send and receive data between devices. Since no authentication is necessary, one can send messages to other Bluetooth devices with ease using this. The practise of Bluejacking can also be carried out using some third-party software.
Bluesnarfing
Since Bluesnarfing involves using Bluetooth to steal information, it is much more malicious than Bluejacking. This is where a bluetooth-enabled device can gain access to a mobile device and steal data like contacts and images by using a vulnerability on the bluetooth network. This flaw makes the Bluetooth network's weaknesses and vulnerabilities clear.
Since a person can steal a file from one if they are aware of it, this act raises some very serious security concerns.
War chalking
Another technique for figuring out where to get a wireless access signal was war chalking. In this scenario, if someone found a wireless access point, they would mark the location of the access point on the wall with a drawing. However, this isn't being used right now.
IV attack
Initialization Vector attack is another name for an IV attack. This particular type of wireless network attack poses a serious risk to one's network. This is due to the fact that it results in some modification to a wireless packet's initialization vector, which is encrypted during transmission. Following such an attack, the attacker can gather a lot of data regarding the plaintext of a single packet and create a new encryption key that can be used to decrypt additional packets that use the same Initialization Vector. Attackers can create a decryption table using that type of decryption key, which they can then use to decrypt each packet sent across the network.
wireless hacking in ethical hacking
Packet sniffing
Sniffing and capturing packets in wireless networks is a very difficult task. In this scenario, a person is in a position to intercept a packet being sent across a network and determine the type of data being sent to a specific person. The fact that the majority of the data we send is clear and unencrypted makes packet sniffing possible. A person can easily read the contents thanks to this. Since it is so simple to capture information being sent across a network, it is incredibly simple to hear or see everything that is happening on the network.
One must make sure that their network card is silent in order to successfully perform packet sniffing. This means that if the network is busy, one must ensure that their card is not sending information to the network.
In this situation, it is crucial to take all necessary precautions to ensure that the data being sent across a network is encrypted. To encrypt data, one can choose between WPA2 and WPA. It becomes very challenging for packet sniffers to obtain the decryption keys and read the data in the packets with such encryption types.
Near field communication
Near field communication is a type of wireless communication that allows people to send information to devices that are compatible with it without having to physically touch them, such as smart phones. This makes it possible for one device to gather data from nearby neighbours.
Replay attacks
In a replay attack, a person eavesdrops on data being sent between a sender and a receiver over a network. The person has the ability to listen in on the two people's conversations. Once the information has been spied on, the person can intercept it and retransmit it, which will cause a delay in the data transmission. This kind of information can be used by a network attacker in such an attack to play around with the computer and sneak access to it. An attacker is also in a position to obtain data, such as an encryption key, which can be used in a replay attack to establish his or her identity and authentication.
WEP/WPA attacks
WEP attacks are very frequent wireless network security issues that typically arise as a result of the WEP encryption methods' and systems' inherent weakness. This is regarded as a very subpar method of data encryption, and in other circumstances, one's access point might not permit the use of WEP as a method of encryption. Due to the fact that WEP is a very insecure method of encryption, one should make every effort to avoid trusting any legacy wireless access points that use it. Such techniques make access points extremely susceptible to WEP attacks from bad guys trying to gain access to a specific access point.
WPS attacks
Other wireless network attacks that can be extremely dangerous include WPS attacks. Due to the significant vulnerabilities in wireless network security, a person with a WPS password guessing tool is able to launch such an attack on a specific network. An attacker is able to access data and information stored on one's network by using the password guessing tool to retrieve the wireless network passwords. It is crucial to ensure that one's WPS protocols are robust in order to prevent someone from obtaining one's password information in order to avoid falling victim to such an attack.
Hacking wireless networks
In fact, if we are using or working on wireless networks, network attacks are network threats that we cannot avoid. This is due to the fact that all wireless networks typically have flaws and vulnerabilities that make it very simple for hackers to launch network attacks. It is crucial that we are aware of the techniques for spotting and avoiding such attacks.