Free And Unsecured Wi-fi Access Points Are Harvest Grounds For Cybercriminals

By Author: EC-COUNCIL
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Many consumers are not aware that free Wi-Fi connection that is popping up almost everywhere is a breeding ground for hackers. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), new hacking tools are available online for free and make hacking easy, even for users with limited technical know-how.
Online consumers should be more cautious when using a non-secure wireless network and before sending personal information via unencrypted websites. When surfing on a non-secure Internet connection, an individual's personal information, private documents, contacts, photos and even login information can be up for grabs as other users on the network have the capability of seeing what is being sent.
In Minnesota, animosity between neighbors has a man facing the possibility of decades behind bars after he pleaded guilty to impersonating his neighbor online, distributing child pornography and threatening the vice president of the United States. Vincent Ardolf of Blaine, Minn., confessed to hacking into his neighbor's wireless Internet connection to hide his identity while he committed a number of crimes. Ardolf pleaded guilty to ...
... two counts of aggravated identity theft and one count each of possession of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, unauthorized access to a protected computer and making threats against Vice President Joe Biden.
Using a Wi-Fi hotspot can create repercussions. Phishing, a popular e-mailing scam, and smishing, a SMS texting scam, grow exponentially when hackers obtain access to personal information on the Web via an unsecure Wi-Fi network. Online consumers have to protect themselves from such scams by securing their Internet surfing.
According to authorities, Ardolf admitted hacking into his neighbor's WiFi connection in February of 2009 and creating multiple Yahoo e-mail accounts in his neighbor's name. Then, on May 6, 2009, he used one of those accounts to e-mail Biden's office. The e-mail read: According to authorities, Ardolf signed an e-mail with the name of his neighbor and his neighbor's wife to the governor of Minnesota and a U.S. senator from the state. The message went on to threaten those officials and stated they would each be killed one at a time, with the first by June 1.
However, although unsecured wifi connections have proven to be a hunting ground for cybercriminals, breaking in to an encrypted router and using the WiFi connection is not a criminal offence some countries such the Netherlands. A Dutch court ruled. WiFi hackers cannot be prosecuted for breaching router security. A court in The Hague ruled earlier this month that it is legal to break WiFi security to use the internet connection. The court also decided that piggybacking on open WiFi networks in bars and hotels cannot be prosecuted.
In many countries both actions are illegal and often can be fined. The Judge reasoned that the student didn't gain access to the computer connected to the router, but only used the routers internet connection. Under Dutch law breaking in to a computer is forbidden. Hacking or even 'piggybacking' on an open WiFi connection is illegal in most countries. In some states in the US unauthorized access of a network is an criminal offense, in other states piggybacking can be fined. WiFi thieves in the UK can be fined or arrested.
These report findings clearly points out that online attacks are very common these days. One effective information security risk countermeasure is through technical security training that will enhance the skills proficiency of the cyber security workforce. EC-Council’s brand new TakeDownCon is a technical information security conference series that serves as a platform for IT security professionals to discuss and exchange views on the latest information security threats as well as remediation strategies. In addition to learning from some of the best security experts, TakeDownCon also offers highly sought after technical training courses, including the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) course, often touted as the world’s most comprehensive ethical hacking training program.
The CEH Program certifies individuals in the specific network security discipline of Ethical Hacking from a vendor-neutral perspective. The Certified Ethical Hacker certification will fortify the application knowledge of security officers, auditors, security professionals, site administrators, and anyone who is concerned about the integrity of the network infrastructure. A Certified Ethical Hacker is a skilled professional who understands and knows how to look for the weaknesses and vulnerabilities in target systems and uses the same knowledge and tools as a malicious hacker.

ABOUT EC-COUNCIL
EC-Council is a member-based organization that certifies individuals in various e-business and security skills. It is the owner and developer of the world famous ethical hacking training, the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) course, Computer Hacking Forensics Investigator (CHFI) program, License Penetration Tester (LPT) program and various other technical security training programs offered in over 84 countries around the globe. TakeDownCon Dallas 2011, is one of the conferences of EC-Council’s Take Down information security conference series.