Threat actors never fail to surprise us with their out-of-the-box ideas and this time also, it’s no different! An Aussie got arrested as he was trying to gain access to passengers’ data by creating a fake Wi-Fi access point.
The 42-year-old Australian man- Michael Clapsis, managed to create a free, hoax Wi-Fi point that looked quite similar to legitimate networks. The idea was to steal sensitive details of the passengers who connected unsuspectingly to the fake network.
The Australian Federal Police or AFP was after the threat actor since April 2024. One of the in-flight employees informed the authorities about the suspicious Wi-Fi network. The AFP’s Western Command Cybercrime Operations Team has been investigating the matter since then.
When Clapsis once again returned to Perth airport, the AFP searched through his belongings and seized a mobile phone, a laptop, and a portable wireless access device called Evil Twin.
The 42-year-old threat actor managed to pull off this malicious act not only in Perth but also in Adelaide and Melbourne. Passengers had to log in to the fake Wi-Fi pages by entering their email IDs and social credentials. Clapsis thus got easy access to all the data and secretly stored all of it.
The Australian Federal Police checked each confiscated device closely and found relevant details and proofs. Then they searched Clapsis’ home and finally arrested him. The threat actor is facing quite a few charges, which may lead to multiple years of imprisonment.
One of the major charges that Clapsis is facing is for the unauthorized impairment of the electronic communication system. Clapsis is also facing the charge for acquiring unauthorized access or tweaking restricted data. He is also found guilty of procuring financial details illegitimately as well as possessing identification details of passengers.
In case he is convicted, Clapsis will have to face 23 years of imprisonment.
Learn how not to fall prey to fake Wi-Fi networks!
Andrea Coleman, the AFP Western Command Cybercrime Inspector has shared some words of precautions and advised the passengers to follow them closely.
- Always be cautious while logging into a public Wi-Fi network.
- Never enter personal details while connecting to a free Wi-Fi network. If it asks for your credentials, it is a scam!
- Do not use public wi-fi hotspots as long as it is not urgent.
- Even if you plan to use a public Wi-Fi network, first download a well-known, reputable VPN or Virtual Private Network on your device. This will encrypt data and keep your device safe while you use public Wi-Fi.
- Always disable file sharing when you are using public wi-fi hotspots.
- Avoid doing crucial online activities such as banking while using public wi-fi networks.
- The moment you are done using a public wi-fi hotspot, go to your device settings and switch to “Forget Network.”
Image sourced from earthlink.net
Threat actors are on their toes 24/7, prying into your devices and stealing your personal data. The only way you can stop them is by staying vigilant, implementing phishing protection, and being digitally aware!