With the digital age comes information accessible via click of a mouse. In the era of instant data, though, also comes the risk of cyber breaches. It’s an inherent price we pay for the ultra-convenience of connecting to the Web. While you can never be 100% safe, you can drastically mitigate your risk of becoming a statistic by taking precautions. Don’t make yourself or your company an easy target for hackers and cyber-terrorists. Are you aware of the common vulnerabilities of a wireless network?

Denial of Service (DoS)

DoS attacks have increased by 125% in 2016 from the previous year. Common targets include the gaming community. In fact, DoS attacks account for as much as 5% of all traffic in the industry. This is so common because it’s one of the easiest attacks to pull off. There are even unethical sites providing such services for fees as low as $5,000 per attack.

The method is simple: disrupt a site by sending as much traffic to it as possible. Interference can also be achieved by operating through an access point on the same channel or even by simply operating a microwave oven nearby.

Prevent DoS attacks by increasing your bandwidth. This will increase traffic capacity, thereby making it more difficult to incapacitate your network via traffic flood. It also helps to spread your data centers across different regions, with each center connecting to a separate network.

Rogue Access Point (AP)

A rogue access point may be set up on a secured network without knowledge or authorization from the network administrator. The business is tricked into believing the access point is legit, when in reality it’s a malicious trick intended for intercepting highly sensitive and confidential data.

A rogue AP is usually achieved via illegitimate AP inserted into the network to create a bypass into the legitimate network. Another form is known as an evil twin attack, in which the hacker creates a duplicate of the legitimate AP.

Businesses can prevent rogue APs by installing a wireless intrusion prevention system (WIPS) to detect unauthorized APs.

Social Engineering

Hackers may manipulate individuals or company entities into releasing confidential information like passwords and credit card numbers. Most people are familiar with phishing, which is perhaps the most common social engineering attack. Hackers can send emails and even create imposter websites posing as legitimate sites. The target is urged to take action, usually by being told their account is at risk and they need to change their password immediately.

Subcategories of phishing include spear phishing, which targets a single organization or department within an organization. Another form is whaling, where company higher-ups are the targets. Phishing is yet another method that is becoming more commonplace and begins offline through phone calls by hackers usually posing as banking institutions or similar service providers.

Reduce social engineering attacks by educating your staff and establish a protocol for online activity both at work and at home.

Packet Sniffing

Data sent through a network is broken down into smaller “packets” and reassembled once they reach the receiver. Packet sniffing is a method of intercepting those small packets of information. It can be achieved using simple online tools known as packet sniffers. Sniffers can be used to capture sensitive data, such as email, downloads, or even to gain access to protected videos, audios, or live streams.

Prevent packet sniffing by encrypting data, both what you send out and receive. Only use trusted Wi-Fi networks and routinely scan your network for vulnerabilities. Unfortunately, many public areas have shockingly poor security measures in place. One report from Skycure revealed that 10 of the busiest malls in the U.S. had unencrypted Wi-Fi networks. One mall in Las Vegas was found to have as many as 14 separate vulnerable Wi-Fi networks. This leaves those networks easy prey to packet sniffing.

Fortify Your Wireless Security

The risks highlighted barely even scratch the surface. Your wireless network may be vulnerable without the latest security implementations in place. With the modern age of the cloud, remote transactions, big data, and Internet-of-things, comes the risk of data breaches from hackers with malicious intentions. Whether you hire an in-house team or outsource to a remote third-party, it’s vital that you take precautions to avoid contributing to an alarmingly growing statistic.