Be careful accessing your accounts using public Wi-Fi connections.
I have heard and read about this way too many times.
Earlier this week, a man out in Austria logged into a public Wi-Fi and checked his bitcoin accounts only to have $117,000 worth of bitcoin immediately swiped from his accounts.
The entirety of the story can be read here:
https://themerkle.com/public-wireless-network-costs-austrian-man-us117k-worth-of-bitcoin/
It is unclear exactly where the money was stolen from as the investigation is ongoing, but it is pretty clear the basics of what happened.
Anytime you login to a public Wi-Fi connection, it is possible that your information can be stolen. Never access cryptocurrency exchanges or online wallets from a public Wi-Fi connection.
Hackers can set up seemingly identical connections as well as use things called "sniffers" to gain access to your information.
Some specifics:
In this particular situation, the individual's bitcoin accounts were compromised immediately when he logged in.
From that point his bitcoin was transferred out of his accounts and sent to an anonymous account.
It will be interesting to see how the criminals plan on getting that bitcoin into fiat currency as that anonymous account is being watched by regulators.
Perhaps the plan is to exchange it for a different crypto, like Monero, that is harder to track? Or perhaps the plan is just to keep it in bitcoin and perform some transaction in that, since it is being more widely accepted around the world?
The big takeaway from all of this is just don't access your wallets or exchanges while using a public Wi-Fi.
It's just not worth the risk.
I know that when I was staying in Las Vegas in some of the different hotels, I didn't even access steemit.com out of fear that someone could potentially steal my login information.
The drawback of being your own bank, like you are with crypto, is that you have to have security like a bank. There is no one out there ensuring your funds except for you.
If they are lost, you are out of luck.
Don't let that be you.
Stay informed my friends.
Sources:
https://themerkle.com/public-wireless-network-costs-austrian-man-us117k-worth-of-bitcoin/
Image Sources:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/byob-learn-how-to-use-bitcoin-to-be-your-own-bank#/
Follow me: @jrcornel
No more public wifi lol
Basic computer safety. Use a VPN is you are doing anything over public WiFi that you dont want to be stolen
This comment needs to stay at the top of the post. I would go a step further and say if you are on any public network use a VPN no matter what you are doing online.
What are the best locations/countries to set the VPN to?
VPN doesn’t to shit in this situation. This is sniffing. You log in to the network And people have the habit of saying I accept. He probably just accepted to give the person admin rights and sniffed his profile and keystrokes. Pretty much looking at everything he does on the screen to his password. Now better situation here is using 2FA. Now if he did this on his phone even that could be compromised. If you accept the connection and let it install a profile on your phone you are basically giving the dude access to your phone and your home screen. They can even probably launch the Authenticator app. Best thing here’s is awareness, if you connect to public WiFi don’t accept any rogue profile request. If the connection asks you for it then don’t even connect. Best solution is to avoid public WiFi’s unless you are in Starbucks or something. I even avoid those. If you really need WiFi on the go turn on your cell hotspot.
Upvoted so it can stay on top!!
Just not a free ones... they're not good enough.
(I know you know that, this comment is for people who read it and understand it wrong)
I had to double check, I knew I'd heard about SHA-1 being broken, Cisco had finally admitted at the beginning of the year- VPN is still effective, but only against attacks that AREN'T serious.
People are really going to have start taking security extremely serious because this is only going keep happening.
So the solution would be like, be your own Wi-Fi.
Haha that's hilarious, yes
Nothing is even more hilarious when I up-voted this comment of yours with my full blast voting power and it doesn't even change anything to your reward on this comment. Makes me realize how high the mountain I intend to climb. The irony of being a minnow.
On public wi-fi's I recommend using tor browser, and if you are using an android device I would recommend ORbot that basically proxy your connection through the tor network!
Everyone Missed the WPA2 Worldwide Public Service Announcement?
Nearly every router in the world needed a patch, and I'd be surprised (considering how I've heard nobody talking about it) if even 25% of them have been patched. Especially considering the patch requires updating your router software.
The Vulnerability Allows an Attacker
to drop your https session to http and view your traffic unencrypted.
This type of theft is relatively easy to perpetuate. It's called Kali Linux, any script kiddy can download it and install it. Then use tools like wire shark etc to sniff the waves for useful information. Or better yet, just spoof the hotspot as a man in the middle and take anything that comes across. Works well for hotels as well that offer either free wifi or paid wifi as the keys are sent unecrypted and I can sniff your key, and then become you through the hotel router to do all kinds of bad things. Or I just spoof myself as the hotel wifi and allow everyone coming in to connect their device to this network and take whatever I find, CC info, Bank Info, Passwords, Personal details etc...
PUBLIC wifi. Never a good idea without a vpn. Especially at airports
First thing first:
Use your own wifi connection.
Second:
Don't use public wifi.
Third: The vulnerability a hacker discover is a predefined vulnerability for National Security or for the Central Goveronment, so they look into public and private of people without doing any hardwork.
This is how software industries work. Suck it up.
yeh everybody shold aware