APA 6th edition
o Research via the internet and find an article in the news regarding wireless hacking, hardware hacking, or other security breaches.
o As security and IT change so rapidly, your article should be no older than 2007 (i.e. Less than 5 years old).
o Summarize the article using at least 500 words.
Security Hacking
Name
Institution
Security Hacking
In All Wi-Fi Networks’ Are Vulnerable to Hacking, Security Expert Discovers, Alex Hern states that the protocols sued to protect majority of Wi-Fi connections are breakable. Therefore, wireless internet traffic is vulnerable to malicious attack and eavesdroppers (Hern, 2017). The article outlines the outcome of a research conducted to investigate the security of Wi-Fi connections. The Achilles heel was the WPA2 wireless security protocol. The article states that the researchers found out that hackers could use a novel attacking technique to read information assumed to be in safe encryption. The abuse of the protocol paves the way for stealing of sensitive information such as credit card information, password and many more. The articles states that the attack is effective on all modern Wi-Fi networks, the configuration may vary in distinct networks but the hackers can inject and manipulate data using different forms.
The vulnerability identified affects most operating systems and devices. It is possible to decrypt all forms of data transmitted by individuals (Hern, 2017). Further, depending on the network and the device, it is also possible to decrypt the data coming from other sources to the victim. The article identifies the weakness as Krack, an abbreviation for Key Reinstallation Attack. According to the Britain National Cyber Security Centre, numerous publications have admitted the weaknesses of Wi-Fi systems globally. The attackers just have to be physically close to the target to exploit the potential weakness. However, the agency states that breaches of Wi-Fi connections cannot affect secure websites such as online shopping and banking services. Further, the agency admitted furthering research works to provide guidance on sealing the loopholes.
Internet Security key should be a priority and agencies all over the world should continue to update measures and provide guidance on safety. The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team also issued warnings on the potential vulnerability of WPA2 (Hern, 2017). The admission by the agencies is significant because the common perception was the security protocol was the most secure to encrypt Wi-Fi connections. Older standard connections have also been broken, but WPA2 appeared secure. Today, the use of the security protocol is widespread. Therefore, the potential for causing harm is vast.
However, the attack cannot affect information sent over networks that have other protection protocols besides the standard WPA2. Therefore, the connections that secure websites are safe (Hern, 2017). Additionally, other connections encrypted by SSH communications and virtual private network are secure. The article states that insecure website connections indicated by the lack of display of padlock on the address bar are insecure on the security protocol. The article also states that it is difficult to secure home internet connections because an update of the routers is not regular. Security experts point out that the security measures at homes can improve by using computers and phones with fixes.
The necessity of proximity to effect the breach is important to note. Users of the WPA2 protocol can take up an additional measure of ensuring there close environs are safe (Mathew & Al Hajj, 2017). Additionally, users should make sure that they are accessing secure HTTPS sites at all times. The article also states that the form of attack is not easy but the past has demonstrated that it is possible to automate breaches. The most important take away from the article is that home and small businesses owners should not rely on one security feature.
References
Hern Alex (2017). All Wifi Networks’ Are Vulnerable To Hacking, Security Expert Discovers. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/oct/16/wpa2-wifi-security-vulnerable-hacking-us-government-warns.
Mathew, A. R., & Al Hajj, A. (2017). Wireless Network Security Threats, Vulnerabilities and Their Defences. American Journal of Operations Management and Information Systems, 2(1), 1.
