Imagine a scenario where you purchased an item online via the WiFi network of a restaurant or hotel. A few days later, your bank sends you a notification indicating an abnormal charge on your bank card? You probably just suffered a “man in the middle” attack.
What is a Man-in-the-Middle attack?
THEman-in-the-middle attack is a computer hacking technique consisting of intercept communications unencrypted between two people or two computers.
The attacker must therefore stand between you and the connection point. So, instead of communicating directly with the wifi access point, you send your information to hackers, who then relay it. Meanwhile, hackers can access every piece of information you send over the Internet: important emails, credit card data, even your passwords.
To do this, a cunning cybercriminal very easily creates a fake wifi hotspot that mimics a legitimate network. He can then sit in the restaurant and eat, while monitoring the traffic of everyone who connects to the fake WiFi network.
Use a strong VPN to protect yourself
You can't be sure that all the public Wi-Fi you use will be completely secure. An MITM attack exposes you to the potential loss of your private and financial data. Using a VPN is your best bet for guarantee maximum security of your data.
Even if a cybercriminal manages to get right in the middle of your connection, the data there will be heavily encrypted. Since most of hackers prefer easy prey, they won't waste time with stolen information requiring a long decryption process.
Other effective tips for more security
There are several other tips for protect yourself from hackers. I can cite in a non-exhaustive way the following protective measures:
Connect only to encrypted networks
Connecting to an unencrypted public WiFi network is like jumping into the mouth of a wolf. So make sure you only connect to encrypted hotspots. Typically, if a network requires a password to connect, it is encrypted.
You should also ask network maintainers what encryption method they are using. If this is not possible, you can simply try to inspect the WiFi network by clicking on it, and checking its configuration.
If the encryption is WEP or WPA or WPA 2, then avoid this network because it is not secure. WPA2 / WPA3 is the only safety standard you should trust right now.
Use only HTTPS websites
If you don't have a VPN when browsing the Internet, there's nothing stopping you from adding a level of encryption to your communications. Access only HTTPS websites.
Regularly back up files
In the event of a computer attack, it is necessary to delete all infected programs and data. A disaster if you don't have a healthy backup.
One of the best measures for a good protection against cybercrime is to regularly back up all your data on external devices.
Use a strong password
In addition to using a strong password for each account, it should be changed frequently to avoid attacks from cybercriminals. This tip gives you more protection.
How to react to a cyber attack?
If, despite all these preventive measures, you are a victim of cybercriminals, you must first disconnect from the internet and stop using the corrupted device so as not to erase the evidence. Then use these in filing a complaint with the gendarmerie or the national police.
Many Internet users or businesses affected by a cybercriminal attack do not file complaints, but authorities need these complaints to investigate. There are also police services specializing in cyber defense.
The accumulation of complaints and technical data can make it possible to trace a cybercriminal network.