Oh, KRACK: Your Wi-Fi Is Vulnerable to Hackers

A security researcher has uncovered a vulnerability in Wi-Fi.

Basically, any Wi-Fi capable device you own is open to hacking, from your phone and PlayStation to your Smart Fridge. (Not the Smart Fridges!)

According to the security researcher Marty Vanhoef, KRACK attacks (named after Key Reinstallation Attacks) allow hackers to evade the security protocols of any device, sneaking in via the Wi-Fi instead.

Changing your password won’t keep the hackers out either (though, regularly changing passwords in general isn’t the worst idea in the world).

However, they’ll need to be in range of your Wi-Fi network to actually invade. So, unless you have some tech-savvy (and nefarious) neighbours, you should be safe for a little while at least.

The only way to fend off Wi-Fi hacking is with a software update. Windows has already released their patch, while Apple and Google and gearing up to roll out their patches in the coming weeks.

There is of course a much larger technical explanation for all of this…

This is a core protocol-level flaw in WPA2 wi-fi and it looks bad. Possible impact: wi-fi decrypt, connection hijacking, content injection. https://t.co/FikjrK4T4v
— Kenn White (@kennwhite) October 15, 2017

… which you can read all about here.

But in short, you should always consider which details are open to access from Wi-Fi networks, private or otherwise.

As the ABC notes, Vanhoef was able to use the technique to steal info that was otherwise meant to be “safely encrypted”, including credit card numbers, passwords, emails and photos.