Online Hacking Weblog
Problem solving and online hacking weblog and an online community of online hackers and librarians.According to security experts, almost half of all home wireless broadband ( Wi-Fi ) networks could be hacked within five seconds.
4 Answers
As I understand the WiFi concept, the signal can be detected or acquired for a distance, depending on the strength of the signal. An internet pirate can acquire the wireless signal around a home and "piggy-back" on the internet access or, if they have the technical equipment and software, acquire the signal from a computer already connected to the internet via the WiFI signal. Any transmissions made from that computer are subject to piracy unless software encryption is being used.
Hackers began, several years ago, acquiring signals used by point-of-sale computers in malls. By using sophisticated de-encryption software, they were able to acquire credit card numbers, names, addresses, and all the other information being transmitted by the attached point-of-sale device. As de-encryption software became more sophisticated, encryption software developed presumably faster. But there are always efforts to advance de-encryption techiques.
Point-of-sale systems in businesses usually employ current encryption techniques. Historically, domestic models lag behind in their sophistication. That is the reason I do not trust them.
In the case I gave above, a pirate "piggy-backed" onto the WiFi signal, so any activity he performed appeared to come from the IP address of the WiFi device. That is why the FBI tracked the activity to the address.
This is a significant problem. I heard on the news this morning about a man arrested on child pornographer charges when an intruder was intercepting his wireless signal for child pornography. The FBI tracked the signal to his router.
I would not put any sensitive information (i.e., information that would lead to identity theft or compromise) across a home wireless device. I don't believe they have the necessary security encryption for that level of information.
Thanks for the post, and welcome to the forum!
I am also very careful about the kind of information that I look at and transmit across the net. For this reason I tend not to join social websites just for communication purposes such as Facebook Twitter etc.. I did join one of the others along time ago but haven't used it since because of concerns about Identity fraud.
I doubt that the hackers have the technology yet to intercept secure netwrorks. I am hoping that many .U.K. users who have not had the sense to use an antivirus and other forms of computer protection will either buy one or at least download and use a free one There are enough of them available so there is no excuse. I think that unless peole do get wise about this matter we will be starting/continuing to hear some horror stories about Data fraud or I.D. fraud.
I think we do have too greater a dependence on technology in this country which is partly the fault of politicians for over selling its importance and failing to forsee the consequences of over reliance on such technology.We need back up facilities which are not reliant on technology or whole nations could encounter serious problems with security, transport and communications and that could just prove to be the tip of teh iceberg! 
I don't worry about identity theft because I don't send any such info over the web. I am concerned about my download speed, though. Does hacking include pirating of internet access?
