Wardriving
What is wardriving?
Wardriving, a term derived from the movie "Wargames," in cyber security it is the act of looking for publicly accessible Wi-Fi networks, usually from a moving vehicle, using a laptop or smartphone. However, it can also be done by foot, on a skateboard, and with a drone. Yes! I said a drone. The software used for wardriving is freely and easily available on the internet.
In the movie, the main character engages in an activity called war dialing, which involves using a computer to dial multiple phone numbers to identify a working modem, in essence its pinging a device, asking it "Hello, can you hear me" (in my Adelle voice) and waiting for someone to respond "Hello, from the outside!" (yes Adelle again, don't judge me). Wardriving is seen as an evolution of this process.
If you have not seen the movie, I suggest you see it. It is a classic, you will thank us later. 😁
Wifi settings
How can wardriving be used against you?
Wardriving is not driving recklessly on the road, it is essentially a person driving, walking, however, he/she wants to go down your block methodically looking for a WIFI network to infiltrate. In its simplest form, does your smartphone sometimes ask if you want to connect to a wireless network that it scanned as available? That is essentially wardriving.
Lets try this: Open your Wifi settings on your phone, tablet, or computer and see how many networks pop up. Do any of the wifi connections have the actual name of the router and model number? It might not mean much to you, but for a hacker, you gave it some valuable intel, enough for him to hack your router and then gain access to every device connected to it.
Once they gain access to the router, they can get your IP. An IP is the social security number given to every device, you don't want people knowing ur Social Security number, right? Hopefully, you said right, just as you do not want any random stranger knowing your IP.
Once a hacker gets your IP, it can steal information from under your nose. Information like your passwords, photos (delete those nudes), banking information, the possibilities are endless. Lucky for you, you found us, and we will be giving you some tips on how you help fortify your defenses a little or alot. You decide!
Excited hacker once it finds a Target
How can you protect yourself from wardriving?
Let me be clear, if someone is trying to bring harm to you, they will try to find a way. There are ways to deter people, hackers from messing with you. At the end most bad guys like easy. So here are some simple fixes you should do ASAP, to help you not be an easy target.
Turn off your router, when not in use.
Change the name of your router, to ensure you are not letting them know any details about you, or your router.
Change your router username and password. Passwords can be as easy as two words combined or a sentence, they will take long to crack. Look at our Data Breaches page for more information.
Use multi-factor authentication, whenever possible.
Ensure the router is set to WPA2 configuration.
Update your firmware on your router, or get a new router.
Set up a guest network for your guest, don't let people know your password, it can allow them access to other things.
If you are Tech savvy: Nmap your IP address to see what ports are open or Input your IP to do a soft port check on this site:
(Port scanning allows you to see what ports are open that should not be, that can allow a hacker to access your computer)
Use a Virtual Private Network - VPN hides your IP adress and encrypts your internet data. You can also get it on your phone especially if you like logging into public wifi networks. (just do not log into public open wifi networks)
See the videos below for VPN and Home Network. Network Chuck really breaks it down for you.
Technology has made our life easy, but it has also opened new ways for criminals to take advantage of us. It's burglary through a digital world. Be safe, and take precautions to protect your privacy.