Wireless Network Attacks Part 1: Wireless Hacking Tools Used by Black Hackers to Attack Wireless Traffic

The tools used in wireless hacking entail special software programs that crack Wi-Fi networks using advanced mechanisms such as dictionary attacks, brute force attacks, a man-in-the-middle attack, and side-jacking. Aircrack is a tool commonly used to crack (Wireless Equivalent Privacy) WEP and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). It accomplishes that attack by monitoring and collecting sufficient packets from where it strives to recover passwords. The second tool is the freely available AirSnort, which tries to decrypt the keys of the captured packets.

Kismet is yet another tool written in C++ with the potency to sniff DHCP, ARP, UDP, and TCP packets. It is open-source and works by finding hidden networks suitable for wardriving activities. It is uniquely designed not to interfere with the network, implying it is a passive program. CoWPatty is a wireless hacking software that centrally perpetrates attacks on WPA networks using pre-shared keys. Though its execution speed is relatively slow, it can perform the expected tasks equally. It exploits the wordlist file in conducting dictionary attacks.

Need help with your assignment ? Reach out to us. We offer excellent services.

Cain and Abel are widely used in passwords because they can sniff a network, crack encrypted passwords, and perpetrate cryptanalysis attacks (Mattie, 2020). It is worth noting that this program also examines wireless protocols in performing attacks. Air Jack is another software the attackers use to flood a network with dirty packets to conduct denial of service attacks. The Omnipeek is quite advanced as it works by analyzing protocols and sniffing. However, it is commercially available, unlike other tools.

Reaver employs a brute force approach to materialize an attack. It has a higher response time and acquires WPA2/WPA passphrases by targeting setup registrar PINs that Wi-Fi protects. Finally, the Cloudcracker applies a dictionary-based approach to crack passwords. It is easily and freely available, hence preferred by vast hackers.

Possible Attacks Against WPA Encrypted Traffic

WPA was released in 2003 as a new advanced standard to fix the challenges WEP poses (Tews & Beck, 2019). However, it is equally prone to attacks, given that the hackers improve their techniques as technology advances. For instance, the Key Reinstallation Attack (KRACK) is popularly exploited to capture sensitive data transmitted via an encrypted Wi-Fi connection. The attack begins when the victim is tricked into reinstalling a used key. It is accomplished by ensuring the cryptographic handshake messages are manipulated and replayed (Vanhoef, 2017). The victim’s successful reinstallation of the key triggers the reset of critical parameters, including the receive packet numbers and incremental transit packet numbers. Generally, the KRACK attack is quite common and makes it convenient for an invader to use the keychain applied in traffic encryption.

RF jamming is yet another attack that works through radio frequency and electromagnetic interference to capture and distort data in transit. It is tailored to guarantee that data does not reach the intended destination. It is captured midway and manipulated or used for other reasons. The created interference waves are significantly strong enough to alter the regular traffic.

Wardriving is quite tedious but effective if the hacker is determined. This mechanism is usually branded as access point mapping, as it involves driving around searching for a WI-FI connection from where the attack begins. The attacker quickly retrieves vast data in transit once a viable access point is detected. Depending on the attackers’ expertise, they can successfully decrypt WPA-encrypted traffic or fail. It is worth noting that the discussed attacks use a vast deal of snooping/sniffing/ whereby an attacker takes advantage of an exploitable network. The episode is more practical when the admin fails to monitor and validate network traffic using the most appropriate mechanisms.

Evil Twin Attack

Evil Twin Attack (ETA) is a malicious spoofing attack that tricks and captivates users into giving out their details. It typically captures unsuspecting individuals to an eavesdropping portal that apparently seems legitimate. The method comprises a series of stringent steps that lead to successful hacking.

First, an attacker identifies a location with free Wi-Fi and is busy creating a broad target population. The site could be an airport or a library, as they have multiple access points labeled with a common name. This aspect makes it viable to proceed to the subsequent step of setting up a new Wi-Fi access point. At this juncture, the attacker imitates the legitimate SSID name. The next step involves the cre