25 September 2018
According to the British security company, SureCloud, there have been an influx of Wi-Fi routers hacked in millions of homes across the UK.
SureClouder researcher Elliott Thomson, who discovered the reported Wi-Fi hacks, stated:
“The hacker would be able join the Wi-Fi network, access shared files, access ‘internet of things’ devices which trust the local network”
He also reported that a hacker could access web browsing history:
“if those websites are unencrypted, the hacker could attempt to implant malware onto the device to steal passwords or access webcams from the computers on the network”.
SureCloud reported that the reasons behind the vulnerabilities of Wi-Fi routers is most likely due to the unencrypted interactions with Wi-Fi and saved passwords in web browsers. As browsers such as Google Chrome automatically save Wi-Fi router information in order to implement an auto-fill process, making it easier for the user.
As the majority of users utilise auto-fill processes, SureCloud believe hackers can target the majority of households with “Chrome being in-use and the operating system remembering an open Wi-Fi network. These are all criteria that many people will meet”.
In opposition to the report, cybersecurity expert Robert Pritchard stated his disagreement with SureCloud’s conclusion, stating:
“The vast majority of Wi-Fi networks are encrypted, meaning this attack would not be viable.”
“Even if you can find an unencrypted Wi-Fi network, you would still have to find a victim on said network who is actively using Chrome or Opera, and who had the administrator credentials for the network router saved in the browser.”
Regardless of these criticisms SureCloud disclosed their findings to Google Chrome in March this year, and in their response in early September they stated:
“Security is a core tenet of Chrome and we are committed to provide our users with a secure web experience. We appreciate the security community for working with us bring any concerns to our attention. We’ll study this closely and see if there are improvements to make.”
If you have been the victim of a data breach then contact us at Three Graces Legal and we will assist you.
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This article is provided free of charge for information purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. No responsibility for the accuracy and/or correctness of the information and commentary set out in the article, or for any consequences of relying on it, is assumed or accepted by any member of the law firm.
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