Beware from Wi-Fi Hackspots!

The popularity of public Wi-Fi hotspots are growing tremendously and it is evident from the fact that Wi-Fi hotspots are being embraced aggressively for various reasons, such as customer acquisition for a business by offering Free Wi-Fi service, to promote some service over public Wi-Fi network, to offload cellular traffic, or to provide netizens access to the Internet at public places.  Google partnership with Ozone for providing free internet access for Google+ users in India is one example of how businesses are using public Wi-Fi to promote their services. Similarly, Malaysia has introduced a law making it mandatory for eateries to provide Wi-Fi service to their patrons.

Unfortunately, what is being ignored in this popularity is that insecure Wi-Fi hotspots can pose serious security threats to their wireless users. Majority of today’s public Wi-Fi hotspots installed at Hotels, Cafes, and Restaurants, Airports and other public places do not provide robust security to the user Wi-Fi connection, and hence hotspots users are vulnerable to various security risks.  Due to thesecurity vulnerabilities, public Wi-Fi hotspots have become new haven for wireless hackers, and therefore the hotspots are being increasingly termed as Hackspots. In this blog, we will see types of Wi-Fi hotspot setups mushrooming in public places and why they are being termed as next generation Hackspots.

Most of Wi-Fi hotspot deployments can be categorized into two:-

   

     1. Open Configured Wi-Fi Hotspots

      In this type of Wi-Fi hotspot service, any user with Wi-Fi enabled device can connect to the wireless network. Once connected, the user gets redirected to a web page, also called as login/captive portal, for carrying out user authentication with the service provider. At times in fee based Wi-Fi service, wireless users have option to buy

data bandwidth from the same login portal.

      In this type of Wi-Fi hotspots, user’s private data travel unencrypted and hence can be snooped easily. Wireless users have to rely on third party software which can encrypt data before transmitting them in the air.

 2. Password Protected Wi-Fi Hotspots

A lot of WISPs provide security enabled Wi-Fi service. In this type of Wi-Fi network, same common password or key is shared among its users. Wireless users have to use that key to make connection with the Wi-Fi hotspot service. After connecting to Wi-Fi hotspot, users may be redirected to captive portal for an additional user authentication, or for the purchase of Internet usage.

In this type of Wi-Fi hotspots, though user’s private data travel encrypted, yet they can be decoded easily as wireless key or password is shared among wireless users.

A lot of wireless users have misconception that they can use SSL secured websites in public Wi-Fi hotspots e.g. accessing Google+ social network from any of free public Wi-Fi hotspots allowing their users to access Google+ freely. They are unaware of wide array of security problems that exist in public Wi-Fi hotspot and how SSL secured website can be tricked to steal user’s private data. A more details explanation is available here.

Even use of VPN does not provide full protection. Unfortunately, in a Wi-Fi hotspot where users have free access to a limited set of websites, it is impossible to use VPN for data privacy. Wireless users unaware of the limitation of VPN service can find more details here.

Conclusion

In the absence of robust  and simplified Wi-Fi  security measures, today’s Wi-Fi hotspots have turned into Hackspots, as hotspot user’s confidential data such as bank account details, credit card number, private emails, instant messages can be sniffed out from these Wi-Fi hotspots. Awareness about security threats of wireless hotspots is also increasing causing lot of users to be hesitant in using the services of Wi-Fi hotspots. The lack of security requires immediate action from WISPs for provisioning robust and simplified security measures for their hotspots, so as to restore the faith of hotspot users by protecting them from hackers. Interestingly, new standard for Wi-Fi hotspots, called Hotspot 2.0, has an option for secure Wi-Fi service. Unfortunately, Hotspot 2.0 is a newly introduced standard by Wi-Fi alliance and hence its adoption will take whole lot of ime as this requires millions of already deployed wireless hotspots as well as wireless client device to be upgraded to Hotspot 2.0.

Airegis unique and innovative solution helps WISPs uniquely position themselves in the market by offering secure wireless service and thereby helping wireless users use public Wi-Fi networks for all private data communication without requiring any software upgrade on wireless client device and without subscribing any third party solution for security. Moreover, it is fully compliant with today’s most robust security configurations for wireless networks. Hence any Wi-Fi client device certified by Wi-Fi alliance can avail the benefits of secure public Wi-Fi networks powered by Airegis.