Top 5 Most Dangerous Wi-Fi Attacks and How to Protect Your Network
A Wi-Fi attack occurs when a hacker tries to break into your router to access your data or use your internet connection for their own purposes. Attacks can happen at any time, so it’s important to secure your router by improving its settings and keeping its software up to date to eliminate vulnerabilities. You can protect your router and network by following a few simple steps.
Why Do Hackers Attack Wi-Fi?
Hackers target Wi-Fi networks to intercept data or directly compromise the router. By attacking the connection, a cybercriminal can guess your Wi-Fi key, intercept or redirect your traffic, and gain access to sensitive information like your passwords. They may also use your Wi-Fi for illegal online activities.
If a hacker takes over your router, all devices on your network become vulnerable. They can manipulate smart home devices, access data on your computers to encrypt it and demand ransom, or even add your router to a botnet for attacks on other targets. Not all attacks are malicious—sometimes, a family member might try to bypass parental controls by accessing the router.
1. Deauthentication Attack
In a deauthentication attack, the hacker disrupts the connection between the router and a client device. Normally, routers disconnect inactive clients to save resources or force a reconnection to a stronger Wi-Fi signal. During an attack, the disconnect request comes from the hacker, not the router. The attacker forges packet data by knowing the MAC addresses of the router and client, as well as the Wi-Fi network’s SSID. If the hacker also knows the radio channel, the attack becomes more targeted.
Deauthentication is a key step in most Wi-Fi attacks. The hacker can intervene when the client tries to reconnect to the router. During this process, the devices exchange messages to confirm the network password and establish encryption keys (the four-way handshake). At this moment, the hacker intercepts the data and tries to guess the Wi-Fi password, as in brute-force and Evil Twin attacks described below.
The attacker can also cause a Denial of Service (DoS) by continuously sending deauthentication packets, making it impossible to connect. This can paralyze smart home devices on your private network.
To prevent such attacks, enable Protected Management Frames (PMF) with WPA3. PMF encrypts deauthentication packets so the client knows they came from a trusted router. However, if your client device doesn’t support WPA3, enabling PMF won’t help. Some routers allow PMF with WPA2 as well.
2. Brute-Force Attack
A strong Wi-Fi password helps defend against brute-force attacks, as it takes hackers more time and resources to guess the password. Many routers also warn you if your password is weak.
In a brute-force attack, after disconnecting the client, the hacker tries to decrypt the password by systematically trying possible combinations. This requires a powerful computer or online services that use multiple servers to speed up the process. Hackers often use dictionaries—databases of popular passwords and character combinations.
Attackers may assume certain default settings, such as the first letter being uppercase or half the password being numbers, to reduce the effort needed. For example, guessing a nine-character password like “Anton1970” would take years if every combination was tried, but if the hacker assumes it’s a name and year, it could take less than an hour.
To prevent brute-force attacks, create a complex password. Avoid predictable words or numbers and use special characters. Even a short password of 8-12 random letters, numbers, and symbols (like “z9!qO6+B§”) is strong.
It’s also important to use different passwords for different online accounts. That way, if your data is leaked or your provider is hacked, your password can’t be used to access your other accounts.
3. Evil Twin Attack: Fake Wi-Fi Access Point
Disable auto-connect to Wi-Fi on your Windows laptop when in public places to increase protection against Evil Twin attacks.
Here’s how the attack works: In a public Wi-Fi network, you’re especially at risk, but Evil Twin attacks can also happen at home. The hacker sets up a router or access point using the same SSID as your real router. This fake can be detected by scanning the network.
Hackers may also use a Wi-Fi honeypot, creating an access point in a place with no internet access, where it’s not immediately obvious—like setting up a fake “Pizzeria” Wi-Fi in an Italian restaurant.
Both attacks can be carried out easily with a laptop or smartphone if the connecting client gets internet access through it. The attacker increases their chances by placing the fake access point where it provides a stronger signal than the real one. They may also use a deauthentication attack to force clients to disconnect from the real access point and connect to the fake one. If the Wi-Fi network is unsecured, the hacker doesn’t need to do anything else. If the network is password-protected, the attacker can present a fake login page to steal the password.
The hacker’s goal is to monitor all client traffic—such as passwords for online banking or shopping. Since the attack is usually not immediately noticeable, the hacker has plenty of time to steal data. They may also access confidential files or install malware on the client device.
To prevent this attack, never enter your passwords online when connected to public Wi-Fi. If you must, make sure you’re using an encrypted connection—the website address should start with “https://”.
The best protection in public Wi-Fi is a VPN that connects you to your home router, encrypting all data you send over public WLAN. Also, avoid using Wi-Fi networks that don’t require a password, and disable automatic connection to known WLAN networks. Otherwise, your device may automatically connect to any nearby access point using a known SSID—even if it’s fake.
4. Router Vulnerability Attack
Many router models are vulnerable due to security flaws in their firmware. Most firmware is based on Linux, and manufacturers often rely on open-source software, which may contain bugs. Some manufacturers don’t replace outdated firmware modules that are no longer supported, leaving security gaps that allow hackers to execute arbitrary code on the router. The router may then carry out the hacker’s commands, giving them full control. Depending on the firmware, the attacker may need to connect via Wi-Fi or attack remotely.
The hacker’s goal is to gain complete control over the router, making changes to settings or disabling security features. They may add the router to a botnet to attack other networks (such as through DoS attacks) or send spam.
To prevent this, regularly check for new firmware updates for your router. It’s also a good idea to monitor security websites for router vulnerabilities and visit your router model’s support pages. Keeping your router’s firmware up to date is crucial. Some routers even offer automatic firmware updates.
5. Remote Attack: Accessing the Router via the Internet
Many users configure their routers to allow access to settings from the internet. Hackers can find these routers by scanning the network, as remote access usually uses standard ports like 443.
The hacker’s goal is to change settings in the menu to gain control over the router. They can add the router to a botnet or redirect online access of connected devices to their own server by changing DNS settings, allowing them to intercept passwords or inject malware into your home network.
To prevent this, only enable remote access to your router when absolutely necessary. Always use a strong password for the router’s admin menu. The router should allow you to set up a separate user account for remote access, different from the local admin account. For extra security, you can often specify an IP address range so only devices with matching IPs can access the router remotely. Many routers also block login after a certain number of failed attempts or increase the wait time after each failed login.
Conclusion
In today’s digital world, data security is a top priority. Being aware of possible attacks on your wireless network and knowing how to protect yourself is key to digital safety.
This article has provided information on the five most dangerous Wi-Fi attacks and tips to improve your network security. By following recommended security measures—such as using strong passwords, VPNs, and avoiding unnecessary use of public Wi-Fi—you take a big step toward protecting your personal information and devices from unauthorized access and attacks. Don’t forget to regularly update your systems and stay informed about new threats and protection methods to ensure reliable security in the ever-changing world of cyber threats.