Questions tagged [wifi]

Security for 802.11 wireless networks.

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Consequences of the WPA2 KRACK attack

Today new research was published on vulnerabilities in wireless network security called Krack. What are the real-world consequences of these attacks for users and owners of wireless networks, what ...
Rory McCune's user avatar
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166 votes
11 answers
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Is visiting HTTPS websites on a public hotspot secure?

It's often said that HTTPS SSL/TLS connections are encrypted and said to be secure because the communication between the server and me is encrypted (also provides server authentication) so if someone ...
Calmarius's user avatar
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152 votes
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Can someone take down Wi-Fi signal?

Is it possible that someone made an attack (DoS or something else) to my Wi-Fi router (without knowing of the password) and make my router's signal unavailable? 1) How it can be done? 2) What are ...
T.Todua's user avatar
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143 votes
9 answers
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To sufficiently protect against KRACK is patching the client, the AP, or both, required?

Following on from this question, I am unclear on which of the following steps are sufficient to protect a WPA2-based wifi connection from the KRACK flaw: Patching the AP (e.g. router) Patching the ...
Jon Bentley's user avatar
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142 votes
12 answers
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Is public Wi-Fi a threat nowadays?

In my opinion, arguments we have been using for years to say that public Wi-Fi access points are insecure are no longer valid, and so are the recommended remedies (e.g. use VPN). Nowadays, most sites ...
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131 votes
3 answers
22k views

This JavaScript code is injected on my hotel Wi-Fi: should I be worried?

While connected to my hotel Wi-Fi, visiting the URL http://www.google-analytics.com/ga.js results in the following content being served: var ga_exists; if(!ga_exists) { ga_exists = 1; var ...
foodiddy's user avatar
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119 votes
3 answers
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Why wasn't the KRACK exploit discovered sooner? [closed]

From what I've read, the issue is as simple as performing step 3 of a 4-step handshake and the consequences of performing that step more than once. Considering the complexity of these kinds of ...
Dave Cousineau's user avatar
89 votes
4 answers
20k views

Does the length of a password for Wi-Fi affect speed?

I work at a place that gives Wi-Fi to all the customers, with a password that is 19 characters long. A customer came in and claimed that because the password is long, it slows down the internet speed. ...
user213838's user avatar
83 votes
8 answers
27k views

Is it possible to "fake" being connected to a router?

A friend of mine is taking a UNIX systems class and mentioned to me that when they take exams they do so on their computers. That is all students are using their own computer/laptop. Students are not ...
Ryan's user avatar
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80 votes
17 answers
26k views

Trying to keep high school students out of the Wi-Fi network

I'm a teacher and IT person at a small K-12 school. The students are not supposed to have phones, laptops or access to the network. However, students being students they will try to find a way around ...
Dave McQueen's user avatar
79 votes
7 answers
62k views

Is there any security threat with open WiFi connection?

For a few days, my mobile device has been able to catch Wi-Fi signals that are within its radius. It's not asking for a password to use the service. So, I'm using the Wi-Fi service whenever I need to. ...
Mahesh.D's user avatar
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8 answers
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How is no password more secure than username+password?

Context: I have a laptop supplied by my organisation. I am trying to connect to eduroam, but I cannot do it using my organisation's laptop. When I use a personal computer, it asks me for a username ...
luchonacho's user avatar
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78 votes
8 answers
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If we should encrypt the message rather than the method of transfer, why do we care about wifi security? Is this just security theatre?

Most answers to this question about the security of satellite internet boil down to: encrypting the message is more important than encrypting the method of transfer. However, there seems to be a lot ...
gerrit's user avatar
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76 votes
9 answers
27k views

School asked us to submit our MAC addresses

My school has recently asked us to submit our MAC address to the school along with our designated name to be used to connect to the Wi-Fi. Previously this wasn't needed. I would like to ask about ...
cyanide's user avatar
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71 votes
12 answers
135k views

Can I prevent my neighbors, whom I pay for shared internet (WiFi), from seeing the sites I've visited?

I pay my neighbors to use their WiFi. They have listed me as Guest with a separate password from theirs. Is there any way to prevent them from seeing the sites I've visited? My browser history clears ...
Pat's user avatar
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69 votes
7 answers
24k views

Is it possible the person sitting across from me at Starbucks was trying to hack my laptop?

I was using my laptop at a Starbucks on a table, and a person was using a laptop on the same table across from me, a couple seats to my side. He flicked some plastic thing across the table towards my ...
Murvin's user avatar
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67 votes
9 answers
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Why isn't open WiFi encrypted?

As far as I understand, WiFi networks that require no password send traffic through the air unencrypted. Those that require a password encrypt each connection uniquely, even if they're all using the ...
Nathan Long's user avatar
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66 votes
3 answers
16k views

Why does Windows store Wi-Fi passwords in a reversible format?

Running netsh wlan export profile key=clear in PowerShell will dump your current stored Wi-Fi settings, including the password, into xml files inside of whatever directory you are currently in. Why ...
Wazanator's user avatar
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65 votes
6 answers
487k views

If someone hacks my wi-fi password, what can they see and how?

If someone knows my wifi password (be it WEP or WPA) what can they see? Do they just see URLs I visit, or can they see everything in my browser, or even everything I do on my computer? Does using ...
user20378's user avatar
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60 votes
3 answers
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Why is this certificate for Imgur only valid for one day?

I'm connected over a café WiFi and received a warning from my mobile browser. When I looked further, it seems like the certificate is only valid for one day, which seems super suspicious.   It ...
AncientSwordRage's user avatar
60 votes
1 answer
18k views

Does KRACK mean that wifi cafes will never be safe again?

The more I read about KRACK, the more granular my questions become, and the harder it is to find answers. My understanding is that both wireless clients and WAPs need to be patched to obviate the ...
rahum's user avatar
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59 votes
5 answers
109k views

Preventing deauthentication attacks

I am helpless against some kiddy with backtrack who repeatedly uses aireplay-ng to deauthenticate legitimate users on my Wifi work network. I captured and analyzed the network traffic on my Wifi work ...
Tawfik Khalifeh's user avatar
55 votes
13 answers
10k views

Is it dangerous to use default router admin passwords if only trusted users are allowed on the network?

There are a lot of articles addressing the dangers of default router admin passwords. Certain security applications will also detect default router admin passwords as a vulnerability. However, these ...
Zsw's user avatar
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54 votes
5 answers
12k views

Are all these attacks possible with WiFi MitM or is it over-hyped nonsense?

My dad sent me this video asking if he should be worried about this? The video shows: a wifi AP broadcasting an airport's wifi name security researcher seeing the sites the victim browses security ...
keithRozario's user avatar
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53 votes
5 answers
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Is there any way for my ISP or LAN admin to learn my Gmail address as a result of me logging into Gmail's web interface through via their network?

The title says it all, really. I'm Alice, and I want to login to Gmail's web interface through my browser. Ike, the internet service provider, and Adam, the local network administrator, would like to ...
Anon's user avatar
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52 votes
8 answers
22k views

Can an open Wi-Fi hotspot be considered "secure" when using a VPN connection?

There are many open Wi-Fi hotspots scattered around from cafes to airports. I understand that a non-passworded Wi-Fi leaves traffic unencrypted and therefore available for hackers to read. I also ...
User1's user avatar
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50 votes
5 answers
17k views

Can someone without the WiFi login and no physical access to a router still access it with the admin login?

If you have a router with default login and password for the admin page, can a potential hacker gain access to it without first connecting to the LAN via the WiFi login?
Q-bertsuit's user avatar
50 votes
1 answer
251k views

Why can you bypass restricted WiFis by adding "?.jpg" to the URL?

I recently read an article on Hacking a commercial airport WLAN. It's basically about circumventing paid airport WiFi redirections (they redirect you to a certain URL when you type something in the ...
JohnPhteven's user avatar
48 votes
3 answers
5k views

Why would the government collect Wi-Fi SSIDs via manual door-to-door questioning of citizens?

I live in a country with little freedom on the Internet (not as strict as in China, but some sites, particularly anti-government sites are inaccessible without a VPN). Recently the government just ...
Ooker's user avatar
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42 votes
7 answers
16k views

Why is HTTP data sent in clear text over password-protected Wifi?

In my home I have a router protected with WPA2-PSK (WPA2 Personal), using the passphrase. When I try to log in to a page over the Internet (this page does not use HTTPS to log me in), all my data is ...
darias's user avatar
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42 votes
4 answers
17k views

Are WPA2 connections with a shared key secure?

This is something that has been bugging me for quite some time: when I have a wifi access point with WPA2 encryption and I give out the key, how secure are the connections? With WEP you could easily ...
user avatar
41 votes
8 answers
146k views

Why is WPA Enterprise more secure than WPA2?

In personal mode WPA2 is more secure than WPA. However, I have read that WPA Enterprise provides stronger security than WPA2 and I am unsure exactly how this is achieved.
user avatar
41 votes
7 answers
110k views

Somebody hacked my router and changed my wifi SSID

One of my neighbours hacked the password of my router and he uses my limited internet package. I change the wifi SSID almost daily, but he can hack it easily. Today, he changed the SSID to a hate ...
user2824371's user avatar
41 votes
5 answers
42k views

My WiFi network is replaced by another network. Am I being hacked?

To begin with, I am not very computer savvy. I am an older person with an older computer and a 2003 Windows XP using Google Chrome for a browser. (If anyone is old enough to remember when Windows ...
Susie's user avatar
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40 votes
5 answers
9k views

Security impact of using a public password for free WiFi

We have a WiFi network that we want to be public and free. Does having a password that is known to everyone provide any additional security advantage to the people using this network as opposed to ...
epeleg's user avatar
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39 votes
5 answers
11k views

Eduroam requires installation of a CA Certificate - can they decrypt TLS traffic?

Eduroam is an organization that provides free WiFi to educational institutions and around some cities. I don't fully understand how the authentication works, but in order to connect you have to ...
Ciprum's user avatar
  • 513
36 votes
7 answers
11k views

Is it considered bad practice to use company name as part of an SSID?

From a security perspective, is it considered bad practice to use the company name as a part of an SSID? Assuming that the company is located in a densely populated area with a lot of "competing" ...
sbrattla's user avatar
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36 votes
2 answers
9k views

Is it safe to buy a router if its serial number and other details are exposed on the web?

I'm looking to buy a WiFi router on ebay, but the seller put a picture on the site of the router's backside, exposing information such as Serial number Part number MAC address Default password and ...
pangabiMC's user avatar
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35 votes
3 answers
130k views

How risky is connecting to a hidden wireless network?

According to something I spotted something in a set of directions for connecting to a hidden wireless network from windows 8 found here (located under Step 1 > "Troubleshoot connection problems" > "...
AJMansfield's user avatar
35 votes
1 answer
4k views

How does a nonce reset allow for decryption?

I'm sure that by now most InfoSec-lovers have heard about KRACK. If you haven't, check out this great explaination by a fellow StackExchanger. It's a new attack on WPA2 which allows for decryption ...
FMaz's user avatar
  • 472
34 votes
6 answers
20k views

Are MAC Address Filtering and SSID Hiding still worthwhile?

On a recent certification exam, I was presented with a question about ways to secure an 802.11 wireless network. It was a multiple-answer question, but the only two available answers that related at ...
Iszi's user avatar
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33 votes
3 answers
16k views

How safe are Wi-Fi Hotspots? Because WPA 2 is compromised, is there any other security protocol for Wi-Fi?

WPA 2 can be cracked using Aircrack-ng in Kali Linux. Is there any other security protocol for Wi-Fi which is not compromised?
RaJ's user avatar
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32 votes
6 answers
52k views

Is UPnP still insecure?

In today's world, on equipment that is properly updated to the latest software/firmware, is UPnP still insecure, or have its vulnerabilities been fixed?
Daniel's user avatar
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32 votes
6 answers
91k views

Recommend Length for Wi-FI PSK?

I currently have a network set up with WPA2 and AES encryption, the password is 8 characters long but was randomly generated and contains no dictionary words. However I'm concerned about the ...
Concrete Donkey's user avatar
30 votes
7 answers
4k views

How to secure a WiFi network?

What do I have to do to secure a WiFi network? Is there any best practices? I have been recommended to use WPA2 encryption on the router, is that enough? What can I do to improve the security even ...
Jonas's user avatar
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29 votes
6 answers
19k views

Sharing wifi at a business - Bad Policy?

Is it safe for a small business to let customers use their wifi while waiting? My friend is starting up a small dentistry practice (1 dentist), and I'm setting up his computers/wifi as a favor. He'...
dr jimbob's user avatar
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29 votes
10 answers
6k views

How can I ensure that I connect to the right wireless Access Point?

Under Windows/Linux, client side. How can I ensure that I'm not connecting to a rogue AP?
LanceBaynes's user avatar
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28 votes
2 answers
6k views

How is this "captive portal" intercepting and manipulating my HTTP requests?

I sometimes use a free Wifi service to get access to the internet. Like most/all providers of services like this, this service employs a captive portal. So if you try to make a HTTP request (request a ...
the_velour_fog's user avatar
28 votes
3 answers
96k views

Can a hacker sniff others' network data over a wireless connection?

Provided that the hacker knows the WiFi password if any (WEP or WPA), is he capable of sniffing network data of other hosts connected to the same access point?
lisa17's user avatar
  • 1,978
27 votes
2 answers
23k views

Strength of WEP, WPA and WPA 2 PSK

I know there are three method for wifi security. What are the relative strengths of the password encryption in WEP, WPA and WPA2 PSK?
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