WI-FI FLAW PUTS ALL DEVICES AT RISK
US-Cert issued a warning last night regarding a severe vulnerability in the WPA2 security protocol, marking the majority of Wi-Fi devices at risk.
Us-Cert (United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team) issued a warning last night concerning the authentication system, WPA2, which is widely used across the globe for secure wireless connections. Experts have said it has the potential to leave the majority of connections at risk until they are patched by security updates.
Although the vulnerability affects connections to all devices, it is heavily concerning for devices currently using Android 6.0 and above and Linux. According to researchers, the attack method used has an ?exceptionally devastating? effect on Android 6.0 and Linux operating systems. Google, the creators of the Android operating system, have spoken out regarding the concern and have issued a statement: ?We?re aware of the issue, and we will be patching any affected devices in the coming weeks.?
Google are not the only tech firm that will need to create patches for their devices. Along with Linux, Microsoft and other operating system developers, Internet Service Providers like BT, Sky and Virgin will need to create patches for their Routers to ensure that their customers are secure.
The vulnerability is really concerning because? using a technique called ?Krack?, an attacker is potentially able to connect to a network via the insecure Wi-Fi and snoop on all the data entering it. The attacking technique, Krack, does however have a mitigating factor, the attacker would need to be close by in order to connect to the Wi-Fi.
What can you do to stay secure?
It is vital to keep an eye out for updates on all devices over the coming weeks as they are likely to include patches for this vulnerability, along with other security updates. We should also expect vital updates from our Internet Service Providers for our routers, it is likely that they will email their customers with more information regarding the updates.
It?s also advisable to think twice before connecting to free Wi-Fi connections (such as an Internet Caf?, Airports, restaurants etc).