How to stay safe from the potential dangers of this wireless 'thief'

abiola

October 20, 2017 3:02 PM

Stay alert, the risks are real and can affect just about any Wi-Fi network connection, experts say.

There is a new gist going around about sensitive Wi-Fi data being compromised by Wi-Fi Krack.

Standing for Key Reinstallation Attack (KRACK) is causing quite a lot of nerves to unsettle in the IT world, but not to worry there is always a solution for every problem.

But first what is the Wi-Fi Krack actually ‘cracking’.

You know when you want to connect to a Wi-Fi of another phone or laptop and you see this Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) protocol in your face that has to do with connecting safely to the host device, using a password, well that’s what has now been compromised by hackers.

The 13 year old technology has been cracked meaning everyone on that Wi-Fi connectivity level is at risk.

The risks may range from the hackers now getting a hold of passwords you use across different websites, monitoring your internet activities and much more.

Here is what you can do to protect yourself to a certain degree.

Always look out for security updates.

You need to check for updates of operating systems on all devices you use - Phones, tablets, PCs. Manufacturers are always rolling out updates for the sake of security patches among other reasons. If you are not going to set your system to auto-update automatically, wait till you get a secure Wi-Fi connection you can use and update frequently.

Use good old mobile data

This could be a safer bet for now until the threat has been eradicated to a good level. Do this if you can afford to stay away from Wi-Fi connection.

Use HTTP everywhere extensions

A security feature that helps protect you when you surf websites, HTTP Everywhere is a browser extension which can be installed on your Chrome, Firefox, and Opera browsers.

It helps to prioritize encrypted internet traffic thus helping you safeguard your data and generally secures you from online criminals.

Updating the router

This one is for the enterprises. Routers (which deals with the networks organizations use) should be updated as soon as possible. So it is advised to reach out to your Internet Service Provider to ensure this is done.

Ethernet cable

If you are in the office environment, opt for the ‘old school’ internet cable. The routers are where the Ethernet ports are connected to.

In case you haven’t updated your router, it is better to go with using ethernet cables or chords as it were.

Attempt implementing these few tips and you are on your way to being considerably safe as you browse the internet.

abiola