# New Hacking tools for hotspots



## Jerusalem Blade (Feb 18, 2011)

In today's online NYTimes: New Hacking Tools Pose Bigger Threats to Wi-Fi Users

In a hotspot (when we get back to NYC, DV) I'll be using a V.P.N. for protection; from my research that's the only thing I'll trust. I'll have no home or private network for the first month or two, and I'll have to do necessary banking at Starbucks or the like.


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## NaphtaliPress (Feb 18, 2011)

How can you tell if one is using WEP or WPA encryption?


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## Marrow Man (Feb 18, 2011)

When I click on the link, it takes me to a blank page.


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## NaphtaliPress (Feb 18, 2011)

Looks like I have WPA. So do folks recommend a V.P.N? Whose good; who of the free ones are good?


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## Jerusalem Blade (Feb 18, 2011)

Tim, I don't know - I think you have to register with the NYT online, but it's free. . . no place on the page to register?

Chris, I don't know; I won't get VPN till I'm back in the states and need it. I'll have to research it further. 

Here's a google search: best vpn service - Google Search


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## NaphtaliPress (Feb 18, 2011)

To hack your WPA they hacker has to break the password, correct? I have like a 40 digit alphanumeric password. Is that safe enough or is it necessary to use vpn from my home wireless router?


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## Jerusalem Blade (Feb 18, 2011)

I was first turned onto VPN technology reading this article: I will be careful when using a wireless network | Utilities | Macworld

As I'm a Mac user I wanted to go with something Mac compatible, and from the article linked to just above I chose PublicVPN.com. Whether I'm paying $60 a year or $6.95 a month for it is no big problem (I'm not rich) as I need a trusted secure connection while I'm "homeless". When I have a home (maybe an apartment) and an internet connection I'll make sure it's secure with other technology. I don't think I'll need a VPN all the time.

But as I said, I'll research it more -- also to see if VPN can be hacked. One never knows nowadays.

---------- Post added at 09:42 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:30 AM ----------

Chris, I'm not sure. What you're doing is what I plan to do when I get settled. I'll have to pick better tech brains than mine to see if that's adequate.

Here's a recent search on it: secure home routers - Google Search

One of the results indicates maybe not (careful, an ad on this site is mildly risque). This is something I don't need to address where I am now; but when I get into NYC I surely will.


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## O'GodHowGreatThouArt (Feb 18, 2011)

WPA is actually the more secure setting; I just can't use it due to compatibility problems between router and computers within the house.

For those having trouble reading the article, the full text is below. It should answer several question poised thus far:



> You may think the only people capable of snooping on your Internet activity are government intelligence agents or possibly a talented teenage hacker holed up in his parents’ basement. But some simple software lets just about anyone sitting next to you at your local coffee shop watch you browse the Web and even assume your identity online.
> 
> “Like it or not, we are now living in a cyberpunk novel,” said Darren Kitchen, a systems administrator for an aerospace company in Richmond, Calif., and the host of Hak5, a video podcast about computer hacking and security. “When people find out how trivial and easy it is to see and even modify what you do online, they are shocked.”
> 
> ...


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## NaphtaliPress (Feb 18, 2011)

Thanks Steve. Does anyone know how you disable transmitting their wireless network name? One of the articles about security suggested doing that. I didn't see how immediately from looking at my connection settings.


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## O'GodHowGreatThouArt (Feb 18, 2011)

See if this works Chris.

EDIT: Hard to tell, but the above is a URL.


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## CovenantalBaptist (Feb 18, 2011)

Steve raises an important caution. This is not about what you use at home (but while we're on the subject don't use WEP use WPA2 with a long non-dictionary password - WEP is the easiest to crack) - what you need to know when you're away from home is that you're only as secure as the network you connect to. Wireless internet is laughably simple to crack, from my understanding, so you should not feel secure when you connect to it without a VPN solution. I've had my password compromised from an overnight stay at a hotel where I hardly did anything other than check my email before falling asleep.

A free VPN service that I use when I'm in hotels/airports/public libraries/coffee shops is Hotspot Shield. It's free account has a monthly limit (it used to be 2 GB) and you can't stream video, but, for the kind of business I need to do (mainly search theological websites and check email) it serves me well. Hope it helps.


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## SRoper (Feb 18, 2011)

Chris, it sounds like you have a strong password for the attacks that are currently available.

SSID broadcast is an option that you turn off on your wireless router. You will have to log in to your router to do this. Check your manual, but it usually involves navigating to your wireless router with your web browser. The IP address of your router might be 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1. Hopefully you remember your admin password (it's not the same as your WiFi password).

Keep in mind that turning off SSID broadcast will only make it unavailable to the casual snooper. Basic hacking tools can find your wireless router even with SSID broadcast turned off. Personally, I find the added inconvenience of connecting to a WiFi router without SSID broadcast is not worth the marginal security gain.

It is important to make sure you change the actual SSID name to something unique. Without getting too technical, if you use a commonly used SSID name (Netgear, DLink, Home, etc.), you make it easier for hackers to crack your password.


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## KMK (Feb 18, 2011)

Pardon my density, but what damage can a Starbucks hacker do to me? Also, why not just turn the wireless of while in Starbucks?


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## O'GodHowGreatThouArt (Feb 18, 2011)

They can steal your passwords, thereby gaining access to bank accounts and other sensitive information.

If you happen to fall victim to an exceptionally skilled hacker, they can inject trojans into your computer system. This can do everything from feed information of your activity to another person to completely decimating your computer system.


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## KMK (Feb 18, 2011)

O'GodHowGreatThouArt said:


> They can steal your passwords, thereby gaining access to bank accounts and other sensitive information.
> 
> If you happen to fall victim to an exceptionally skilled hacker, they can inject trojans into your computer system. This can do everything from feed information of your activity to another person to completely decimating your computer system.


 
They can do this even if you don't use your password while at Starbucks? Again, I am safe if my wireless is turned off, right?


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## O'GodHowGreatThouArt (Feb 18, 2011)

KMK said:


> O'GodHowGreatThouArt said:
> 
> 
> > They can steal your passwords, thereby gaining access to bank accounts and other sensitive information.
> ...


 
Correct. As long as you are not connected at any point (including coming and leaving the area), then you should have no problems. The only way they can hack you directly is if they directly hook up the computer through wired means.


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## Marrow Man (Feb 18, 2011)

Jerusalem Blade said:


> Tim, I don't know - I think you have to register with the NYT online, but it's free. . . no place on the page to register?



That appears to have been the problem, but no, nothing came up at all (it was a totally blank page). The Missus is a registered user, though, and she pulled up the page for me on her computer.


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## O'GodHowGreatThouArt (Feb 18, 2011)

Marrow Man said:


> Jerusalem Blade said:
> 
> 
> > Tim, I don't know - I think you have to register with the NYT online, but it's free. . . no place on the page to register?
> ...


 
Odd. I'm not a registered member, yet I pulled it up without a problem.


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## littlepeople (Feb 19, 2011)

MAC address filtering is a valuable layer of protection to add to your home router. Disable ssid broadcast, enable Mac address filtering, and use a long alphanumeric, case-sensitive password; you should have no worries.


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## Marrow Man (Feb 19, 2011)

O'GodHowGreatThouArt said:


> Odd. I'm not a registered member, yet I pulled it up without a problem.



The NYT doesn't like me I guess.


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## SRoper (Feb 27, 2011)

littlepeople said:


> MAC address filtering is a valuable layer of protection to add to your home router. Disable ssid broadcast, enable Mac address filtering, and use a long alphanumeric, case-sensitive password; you should have no worries.


 
MAC address filtering is not particularly valuable. MAC addresses are easily acquired from network traffic and spoofed. Again, I don't find the hassle of setting up each device on the router worth it.


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