What are Evil Twin Attacks? Process and How to Safeguard Yourself

A hacker uses an evil twin attack to deceive victims into logging in to a stolen and unsafe WiFi network. The hacker may observe whatever the victims do online as soon as they connect. An evil twin network can be set up very quickly. Anyone can become a hacker thanks to a number of commercial tools, even those with no prior computer or programming experience. 

 

It's normal to use public Wi-Fi while you're out and about, whether you're shopping, traveling, or just getting a coffee, to check your messages or browse the internet. However, there are dangers associated with accessing public WiFi, like evil twin hacking. Find out about evil twin assaults and how to prevent them.

 

Also Read | WiFi 6E Technology: Working and Advantages

 

What is an Evil Twin Attack?

 

An evil twin assault entails the installation of a false wireless access point, often referred to as an evil twin, that imitates the features (including the SSID) of a genuine AP. About as long as wifi has been around, so has this exploit. Users can immediately connect to the malicious AP or do so under the impression that it is a legitimate wifi network. 

 

Attackers can speed up this process by interfering with the connection to the real AP that their impostor device is impersonating. Users may be prompted for a login and password after connecting to an evil twin in order to access a fake form that is sent to the attacker. Alternatively, the attacker can silently listen in and intercept any unencrypted data that users transmit.

 

We’ve listed some of the different ways in which Evil Twin attacks take place:

 

1. Fake Network Hotspot

 

A "Captive Portal" is generally used to deceive an unwary user into providing a Wi-Fi password. You have probably encountered a screen like this when connecting to the internet in a coffee shop or an airport. It typically requests information from the user and contains a lot of text that nobody reads. 

 

Because most people are accustomed to seeing these panels and are unaware of how they should appear, they readily provide whatever information that an attacker requests.

 

An attacker will first set up a phony Wi-Fi access point with the same name as the target network in order to persuade them to do this. As we saw with the smartphone example above, doing this is very simple. An attacker will either bring their Wi-Fi router, utilize a network card on their laptop, or (if they require additional range) use a Wi-Fi Pineapple to make this network visible to victims.

 

2. Network Flooding

 

The next step is to ban users from the network. By saturating the network with "deauthentication packets," this is accomplished. Devices already connected to the target network will be interfered with because these make connecting to it regularly virtually impossible. Users will become irritated by this and access the network menu on their device after noticing it.

 

The network they can connect to has the same name as the one they were recently expelled from, but guess what? In charge of this network is the hacker. It is likewise insecure, but the typical user will still attempt to connect since they believe the security flaw is the cause of their recent "connection difficulty."

 

3. Redirection

 

A captive portal created by the attacker will be sent to the user after they connect to this new network. This will have the appearance of a typical login page, ask the user to input the Wi-Fi network password, and contain a tonne of dull technical-looking information. If the user enters this, the hacker will have access to the Wi-Fi network's admin password and can start controlling it.

 

Also Read | Types of Phishing Attacks

 

Evil Twin Attack Process

 

Captive Portal attacks are the most typical evil twin assault scenario you could encounter in the wild. Many public Wi-Fi hotspots connect you to the internet via web pages that ask for your login information. This attack's objective is to trick the user into providing their login information for a reliable Wi-Fi network. 

 

With these credentials in hand, a hacker can access the network, seize control of it, monitor unencrypted traffic, and carry out additional MITM attacks. Let's examine in greater detail what occurs at each stage of Evil Twin attack :

 

Step 1: Hacker first creates a phony wireless access point

 

A hacker picks a public area with plenty of hotspots, like your neighborhood Starbucks or the airport. Multiple Wi-Fi access points with the same name are typically present in such locations. It's advantageous if you want to maintain your connection while moving about the building, but it also makes it much simpler for hackers to set up a phony hotspot with the same Wi-Fi identity.

 

The bad guy can now make a hotspot using anything from a network card, tablet, laptop, portable router, or Wi-Fi Pineapple (if they need additional range). 

 

Consider the last time you shared a connection with friends or other devices by using your phone as a hotspot. That's exactly what a hacker does, but they do it while using the same Service Set Identifier (SSID) name, also referred to as the simple Wi-Fi name.

 

This is important because if two access points have the identical SSID, most devices can't tell which is real and which is fraudulent. (Some hackers will even copy the trustworthy network's MAC address.) It is known as an evil twin for this reason.

 

Step 2: Hacker develops a false captive portal

 

You have probably seen a Captive Portal page if you have ever used public Wi-Fi. Typically, they either request some basic information about you or ask you to input your Wi-Fi password and login details. The issue with captive portals is that there is no established aesthetic for them, and they are frequently not well-designed.

 

It can be challenging to distinguish between an authentic page and a phony one for those who use public Wi-Fi because they are so accustomed to them being this way. Unfortunately, if you encounter the latter, it will immediately transfer your information to the hacker.

 

If hackers are putting up an evil twin with an open Wi-Fi network and no captive portal, they may overlook this step. Making a captive gateway helps the hacker obtain login information and connect to the network if the authentic Wi-Fi has a password.

 

Step 3: Making victims link to the hacker's evil twin Wi-Fi

 

By moving closer to their targets, they amplify the Wi-Fi signal, causing all nearby devices to immediately join to the evil twin.

 

Everyone is expelled from the main network by being DDoSed or being inundated with deauthentication packets. Users will return to their Wi-Fi connection page after the devices linked to the legitimate network are unplugged.

 

Now they will see a new network with the same name, most likely with the word "Insecure" in it. Security-conscious users will be alarmed by this, but the majority of people will ignore it. This approach might not be successful in a professional setting because it would be frowned upon.

 

Step 4: Hacker grabs login information

 

The user will be taken directly to the login page when they click on the new network if the evil twin has a phony captive portal. The same login information that they used to establish their initial connection to a secure network will be required.

 

But this time, they're giving the hacker this information. Now that the hacker has them, they may watch your online activity and network traffic. The hacker may also exploit your login information in credential stuffing attacks if you often use the same login information across all of your accounts.

 

Also Read | Everything About Cybersecurity Threats, Attacks and its Types

 

Why are attacks by Evil Twins so dangerous?

 

Evil twin attacks are risky because they provide hackers access to your device when they are successful. This implies that they may be able to steal login details and other confidential information, such as financial information (if the user carries out financial transactions when connected to the evil twin Wi-Fi). Additionally, the hackers might infect your device with malware.

 

Wi-Fi attacks with evil twins frequently leave no telltale indicators that would reveal their true nature. Many of their victims won't question how well they do at their main job of giving people access to the internet. Users could not become aware that they were the target of an evil twin attack until after the fact, when they discover improper activities taken on their behalf.

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How Evil Twin Attack works

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How can I safeguard myself against Evil Twin Hotspots?

 

Even for experienced users, it can be quite challenging to distinguish between a real network and a "fake" because it is occasionally impossible to do so.

 

Therefore, the best defense against Evil Twin attacks for the majority of people depends on two elements. One is being careful to follow acceptable security precautions while you are online, and this is especially important if you must connect to public Wi-Fi networks. 

 

The other is ensuring that, even if an attacker is able to breach the network you are on, they are unable to access personal or sensitive information. This entails using a VPN if possible and encryption for everything.

 

First, you must take steps to reduce your vulnerability to Evil Twin assaults in order to reduce your exposure to them:

 

1. Stay Away From Unsecured WiFi

 

The most important thing is to stay away from networks that seem sketchy. If you have the option, avoid connecting to unsecured networks, especially if they share the same name as a network you are familiar with.

 

2. Be Aware Of Notifications

 

In connection with that, you ought to pay attention to the alerts your device issues when you join particular kinds of networks. The truth is that your software is trying to do you a favor by keeping you secure, but users often disregard these warnings as just another inconvenience.

 

3. Utilize sensitive accounts sparingly

 

You could occasionally be required to join a public network, or even one that is unsafe. There are a few procedures you should take to minimize your risk if this situation arises. It goes without saying that you shouldn't log into sensitive accounts on a network like this, especially corporate networks or internet banking services. 

 

This includes your social media feeds. If, like the majority of people, you frequently check into particular accounts on your smartphone, you should either manually log out of them on your phone or avoid using Wi-Fi.

 

4. Restriction of Automatic Connectivity

 

Limiting the networks that your smartphone connects to automatically and having it request your permission before connecting to a new network are two more helpful strategies. By doing this, you'll be able to swiftly scan the network you're about to join and determine whether it seems suspect.

 

The last line of defense against Evil Twin assaults is so crucial that it deserves its own section. You should really... if you wish to protect yourself online from Evil Twin attacks and many other dangers.

 

5. Use a VPN

 

Attacks by evil twins are challenging to identify, as we've seen. Furthermore, you cannot rely on the encryption offered by common Wi-Fi Security Protocols like WPA and WPA2 to shield you from an attacker's malicious network because it only kicks in after your device connects to an access point.

 

Therefore, using a Virtual Private Network is the best approach to ensure your security (VPN). The Wi-Fi Alliance has only offered this as one method of protection against Evil Twin assaults.

 

An encrypted tunnel is built between you and a VPN server for the purpose of using a VPN. A VPN client typically operates through your browser or even at the operating system level. Your device encrypts each and every bit of data you send to the wider network, and only your VPN server can decrypt it.

 

As a result, even if someone is able to intercept your data transmissions, they won't be able to read it or use it for anything. The best secure VPNs use military-grade encryption techniques that provide significantly more security than what is provided by common Wi-Fi security methods, keeping your data entirely safe.

 

Also Read | What is a Firewall? Types of Firewall

 

It pays to be aware of the various threats you can encounter as the quantity and sophistication of cyberattacks increase. One of these is the Evil Twin attack, which is extremely prevalent and may be incredibly successful against unprepared targets.

 

The technique to prevent Evil Twin attacks is largely the same as the security-related safeguards you should take. Verify the networks, servers, and web applications to which you are connected. Never, ever use public Wi-Fi or communicate important information over unprotected networks.

 

Finally, use a VPN to encrypt everything. By doing this, you will not only be protected from Evil Twin attacks but also be able to defeat numerous other attack varieties and maintain your online anonymity.