8 May, 2025
☕ Day 11: Public Wi-Fi – The Hacker’s Playground
Cyber Defense & Security Practices

“Free Wi-Fi is never free. You pay with your data.”
— Hacker’s Field Guide

🎬 Scene: Coffee Shop Compromise

You open your laptop at the café.
You connect to “Starbucks_Free_WiFi.”
You scroll Instagram, log into your bank, answer emails.

Across the room, a hacker is running a tool called Wireshark — silently intercepting everything you do.

You sip your latte.
They sip your data.

🧠 Why Public Wi-Fi Is Dangerous

Public networks are:

  • Unencrypted (anyone on the network can snoop)
  • Unsecured (no password? No protection.)
  • Easily Spoofed (hackers create fake hotspots with names like “FreeAirportWiFi”)

Hackers exploit these to:

  • Sniff data (intercept logins, emails, passwords)
  • Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks (alter or inject data as it travels)
  • Spread malware (via network-level exploits)

🕵️‍♂️ Tools Hackers Use on Public Wi-Fi

Tool NamePurpose
WiresharkPacket sniffing (sees all traffic)
BettercapMan-in-the-middle attacks
EvilAPFake hotspot creation
SSLStripDowngrades secure connections

Scary? Absolutely.
Common? More than you think.

🧠 Hacker Vocab of the Day: “Evil Twin Attack”

A hacker sets up a fake Wi-Fi hotspot that mimics a real one (e.g., “Airport_WiFi”).
You connect without realizing it — and they capture everything.

🛡️ How to Stay Safe on Public Wi-Fi

✅ Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network)
Encrypts your traffic, making it unreadable to eavesdroppers.

✅ Only Visit HTTPS Sites
Look for the lock icon 🔒 in your browser.
No lock = no-go.

✅ Turn Off File Sharing & Airdrop

  • On Windows: Network settings > File Sharing OFF
  • On Mac: System Preferences > Sharing OFF
  • Airdrop: Set to Contacts Only or OFF

✅ Forget the Network When Done
Prevents auto-reconnection in the future.

✅ Avoid Sensitive Activities
Don’t log into banks, work dashboards, or private accounts unless necessary.

✅ Turn Wi-Fi Off When Not in Use
Stops your device from automatically connecting to rogue networks.

🎯 Action Step

1️⃣ Download & install a VPN app (if you haven’t yet — see Day 7)
2️⃣ Practice:

  • Connect to a public Wi-Fi
  • Turn on your VPN
  • Browse only HTTPS sites

3️⃣ Bonus:
Check your browser’s security by visiting https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/viewMyClient.html to see what info is leaking.

🔮 Coming Tomorrow:

🐛 Day 12: Spyware & Stalkerware – Invisible Invaders

Because sometimes, the enemy is already inside.

💻 Stay encrypted. Stay vigilant. Stay invisible.
– Saney Alam