A Wake-Up Call during a Cybersecurity Keynote

During a recent event for SME owners where I gave a keynote on cybersecurity, I decided to pull a stunt to show the audience how easy it is to fall into the trap of a rogue access point. For my presentation, I turned my smartphone into a WiFi access point with the name of the venue followed by "high speed" to make it attractive for attendees to log on to it. I had no other malicious tools installed to intercept traffic. I just wanted to make a point.

To my delight, halfway through the keynote, several people were already connected to my access point. I explained that this was a fake WIFI access point and that such a thing is not without dangers. Many reacted rather surprised and shocked. Someone tried to reassure minds and  suggested that as long as you use only encrypted traffic, not much can happen. But is that really the case?

Here are some very realistic risks of connecting to a rogue access point:

1. Passive interception: While encrypted traffic like HTTPS offers some protection, hackers can still find out a lot about your internet habits and what sites you visit[1].
2. Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks: Attackers can modify messages in transit or even steal confidential information[2].
3. Network disruption and malware spread: Connecting to a rogue AP can lead to network disruptions or even the spread of malware to your device[1].
4. Automatic connection: Many devices are set to automatically connect to known networks. This can lead to you unknowingly connecting to a dangerous network, as was the case with the 'pineapple'[3].

It is essential to always be vigilant and only connect to trusted networks. Even if you think you are safe with encrypted traffic, there are still risks. Let my little stunt be a lesson to us all!

Want to help your employees or colleagues become more aware of dangers? Then my pocket guide is definitely a fine source of inspiration. You can order it in e-book format here. From 100 copies, you can have personalised copies printed. Your own cover, your own foreword make it even more recognisable!

Keep it safe!!!