Protect your Wi-Fi: see the main router risks and how to avoid them
By Technology
Routers can be a major focus of security problems in home networks. It is common not see the device as something possibly vulnerable and it helps explain why cases of invasion and criminal actions taking as its starting point the lack of security in routers are so common.
In the following list, you will know the most common forms of attack using the router as input to your network, exposing your devices, information and privacy.
In the following list, you will know the most common forms of attack using the router as input to your network, exposing your devices, information and privacy.
weak network passwords
You need to be careful with the passwords you use for your Wi-Fi network. In addition to being essential not apply passwords that are easy to guess, such as names and addresses, it is important to configure your router to use more robust methods of encryption, such as WPA2. Other methods, such as WEP, are easier to be broken by brute force and can deliver your password to an attacker.
The problem of someone having access to your wireless environment goes beyond the fact that someone is stealing your connection: a more skilled hacker can use this gateway to access other devices connected to the network, such as mobile phones, consoles and computers.
DNS Hijacking
DNS is a mechanism that facilitates the use of the Internet to transform the addresses you type in the browser IP addresses to locate the sites you want. If DNS does not exist, you would have to remember the IP address of each site to be able to visit it and instead of typing www.techtudo.com.br you would have to use our IP, which is 186.192.81.152
The IP hijacking occurs when a criminal has access to your router settings . In them, he can insert a malicious DNS server, which when clicked will lead you to false versions of the sites you want to access. The risk is huge because you can fall into a page that is a perfect copy, but false, the site of your bank for example and end up giving the criminal access to your bank details. Or e-mail and so on.
Botnets eproxy
This type of practice basically uses the user's connection to harmful activities on the Internet, of which the most common are denial of service (DDoS) attacks, mass mailing of spam, but there are even greater risks. Botnet is a term that combines "net" (network) with "robot" (Robot). To avoid having your router used in these practices, it is interesting to review the logins and passwords that provide access to device settings.
Attackers can take advantage of the remote control to the router, one interface that guarantees access to device settings. Many people never change the login and password access, usually defaults to "admin / admin". Hackers can use these credentials to install malicious programs on the router, sequestering the device to DDoS and other actions.
In the case of a proxy, the attacker hijacks your router and use your IP address as if it were his. The problem is that if the hacker is caught up to something, the analysis will point to your network, something that can cause a lot of headaches. To avoid these forms of attack, try to keep the firmware updated your router and avoid default passwords from manufacturers.
Traffic Monitoring
Can you imagine the risk of an attacker being able to "listen" all communication that makes your router to the Internet without encryption? Sites you visit, and do not offer this protection, they can be intercepted by an attacker who ends up being able to collect sensitive and private data.
The most common method of this kind of invasion involves the use of an application called tcpdump and the best form of protection is taking care of your passwords and always seek to navigate in encrypted form.
Protocolos UPnP, Zeroconf, SSDP eHello
These protocols were born to make our lives easier, to give some priority devices to Internet access, so that they are faster and easier to use. The problem is that this performance improvement is by reduction filters and security barriers in specific situations can be exploited by criminals.
The secret, especially for those using the UPnP is to verify that the safety standards of your router are up to date and ensure that the implemented firmware is always the latest available.
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