Question How to check if there is malicious activity on a Wi-Fi network?

[TheFlash1300]

Hello. There is a person who freely shares his internet connection (he consciously chose to not put a password on his Wi-Fi network). When i asked him if i can connect, the person said yes, he also said he intentionally has no password, so people, who don't have Wi-Fi networks, can use his network.

How can i know the person is not a wolf in a sheep's clothing?

How can i know if he just pretends to be a good person, but actually uses the network as an "I'm giving you this for free" trap to attract people who want free internet, so he can use the network for malicious purposes like releasing viruses, stealing private information, spying, tracking, and stealing sensitive information of people who use their credit card information to shop from online shops?

I used Avast's network inspector tool, and it said the security of the network is "OPEN/NONE", which probably means the network has no encryption. The network is public, not private. This also means anyone can unleash malicious activity, not only the owner.

Do i need to install a program that can analyze the traffic in the network, or what? I don't know what to do. I really need help, i need someone to explain to me how to check if there is malicious activity occurring on the network.

 

[lvt]

It's not different from using free Wi-fi in a Starbucks or shopping mall. If you suspect that person then you should stop using his access.

Instead of guessing what others might do to your computer, you should make it more secure to avoid being attacked.

 

[lvt]

This is a good article to start :

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/11213-secure-computer-from-hackers.html

 

[egda23]

This is this person’s connection, not your’s.
In the name of what are you autorized to analyse what is going on? If you are afraid it could be a "trap" simply do not use it.
Full stop

 

[egda23]

"Do i need to install a program that can analyze the traffic in the network, or what? I don't know what to do. I really need help, i need someone to explain to me how to check if there is malicious activity occurring on the network."

Don't know in which country you are, but this is very likely completely illegal as you are a private person

 

[TheFlash1300]

"Do i need to install a program that can analyze the traffic in the network, or what? I don't know what to do. I really need help, i need someone to explain to me how to check if there is malicious activity occurring on the network."

Don't know in which country you are, but this is very likely completely illegal as you are a private person

It's not illegal. There are some apps for analyzing traffic. Take WireShark, for example. It's legal to use it. It doesn't do anything harmful - it just shows what is happening on the network. The information shown by Wireshark is just general information.

The problem is that i don't know how to use the app and don't know what to look for when the app shows me the traffic.

 

[egda23]

It's not illegal. There are some apps for analyzing traffic. Take WireShark, for example. It's legal to use it. It doesn't do anything harmful - it just shows what is happening on the network. The information shown by Wireshark is just general information.

The problem is that i don't know how to use the app and don't know what to look for when the app shows me the traffic.

The app is not illegal, it is what you are doing with it.
You want in fact spy on a network connection that is not yours (in your words "what to look for when the app shows me the traffic. ").
Other peoples using this same connection might not like it at all.

You really sound like a 12-15 years old kid learning about the world.

 

[USAFRet]

If you do not trust them(*), why are you using this persons network?

* - Them, and everyone else who uses that network

 

[USAFRet]

It's not illegal. There are some apps for analyzing traffic. Take WireShark, for example. It's legal to use it. It doesn't do anything harmful - it just shows what is happening on the network. The information shown by Wireshark is just general information.

The problem is that i don't know how to use the app and don't know what to look for when the app shows me the traffic.

It is ironic that what you want to use Wireshark for is exactly what you are accusing the network owner of doing.

 

[DSzymborski]

How can i know the person is not a wolf in a sheep's clothing?

Easy answer. You can't.

 

[Alabalcho]

If you die to use this WiFi network - make sure you start your VPN client the moment you connect. It's completely unrelated question where the other end of the VPN is going to (you might have to pay).

 

[TheFlash1300]

If you do not trust them(*), why are you using this persons network?

Because i don't want to pay for my own network. In fact, i already have one, but it has a limited amount of data. I prefer to use free internet when at home, and to use my paid internet when I'm away from home, where the person's connection can't reach me.

It is ironic that what you want to use Wireshark for is exactly what you are accusing the network owner of doing.

Isn't Wireshark used to show what activity is happening on the network? I don't want to hack anyone. I just want to see if malicious activity is occurring.

Easy answer. You can't.

Why not? Isn't there a way to see the activity occurring on the network, and recognize the malicious part of the activity?

If you die to use this WiFi network - make sure you start your VPN client the moment you connect. It's completely unrelated question where the other end of the VPN is going to (you might have to pay).

As a VPN service, i use Hide.Me
But can VPN really hide me? The connection is encrypted only when the traffic leaves my device and enters the VPN server. But once it leavse the server, its no longer encrypted. When it leaves the server, will a hacker still be able to see my traffic?

Actually, i can use my own free internet card. The problem is that the maximum speed is 64KB/s, but most of the time the speed ranges between 10-25KB/s.

I can use my card for interned of 100-200MB/s, but it has only a limited amount of data, and i dont want to deplete it.

The card has only 20GB of data per month. When the card expires, i may buy a card for unlimited data.

 

[DSzymborski]

Why not? Isn't there a way to see the activity occurring on the network, and recognize the malicious part of the activity?

Someone doing malicious things will usually also have the ability to hide doing malicious things and you would have to have the ability to recognize malicious things as well. There's no popup warning that says "Warning: Bad Things are Happening!"

 

[hotaru.hino]

Isn't Wireshark used to show what activity is happening on the network? I don't want to hack anyone. I just want to see if malicious activity is occurring.

The problem is how do you know what's malicious activity? I do Wireshark runs at work and even on a closed network, there's a crap-ton of traffic that it makes analyzing what each packet it captures impractical. This isn't even counting the fact that a lot of this traffic may be encrypted, so you won't be able to figure out what the content is anyway.

Why not? Isn't there a way to see the activity occurring on the network, and recognize the malicious part of the activity?

Again, how would you define what's malicious and what's not? And also again, a lot of network traffic these days are encrypted, so how would you even figure out what's going on with it?

 

[USAFRet]

Because i don't want to pay for my own network.

Given many of your other posts, your neighbor is a fool to let you use his network.

Good luck with this, I'm out on this one.

 

[Alabalcho]

As a VPN service, i use Hide.Me. But can VPN really hide me? The connection is encrypted only when the traffic leaves my device and enters the VPN server. But once it leavse the server, its no longer encrypted. When it leaves the server, will a hacker still be able to see my traffic?

A hacker would have to hack the VPN provider in order to see what gets out of there toward the target. VPN hides what you do from your ISP (in your case, your neighbor and his/her ISP).

 

[USAFRet]

Given your proclivities with pirated software and the viruses it brings, the other people on this LAN are far more in danger of you and your activities, than you are of them.

 

[DSzymborski]

Given your proclivities with pirated software and the viruses it brings, the other people on this LAN are far more in danger of you and your activities, than you are of them.

Hear, hear.

The avatar was well chosen.

 

[RKD2313]

Instead of the hopeless idea of figuring out if there is malicious activity going on, just protect yourself before and during the connection....? Seems easier and much more realistic.

 

[USAFRet]

Instead of the hopeless idea of figuring out if there is malicious activity going on, just protect yourself before and during the connection....

2 ways for this:

1. Don't use some random guys WiFi
2. Don't download pirated software.

Done.

 

[RKD2313]

2 ways for this:

1. Don't use some random guys WiFi
2. Don't download pirated software.

Done.

You know hes going to do both though lol

 

[Wolfshadw]

Just to add to the matter, there are generally three reasons to offer up your Wi-Fi network for anyone to use.

A) Genuinely generous (I'd estimate 10% chance).
B) Utterly Dimwitted (I'd say about 30% chance).
C) Doing something illicit/running a scam (I'd say about 60% chance).

If A, the person doesn't seem to care what other people do on his network.
If B, the person doesn't realize THEY are responsible for any illicit activity anyone else does on his network (criminal activity that HE goes to jail for).
If C, then I'd be checking your bank/credit statements EVERY DAY until the card expires.

As others have stated, it you have any concerns about using the network, common sense says, "Don't use it!"

-Wolf sends

 

[TheFlash1300]

A hacker would have to hack the VPN provider in order to see what gets out of there toward the target. VPN hides what you do from your ISP (in your case, your neighbor and his/her ISP).

So, if i use a non-encrypted network, no one will be able to see my passwords, if i use VPN?

Given your proclivities with pirated software and the viruses it brings, the other people on this LAN are far more in danger of you and your activities, than you are of them.

I install them on my device, not on other people's devices. How can installing them on my device, affect other people's devices?

Just to add to the matter, there are generally three reasons to offer up your Wi-Fi network for anyone to use.

A) Genuinely generous (I'd estimate 10% chance).
B) Utterly Dimwitted (I'd say about 30% chance).
C) Doing something illicit/running a scam (I'd say about 60% chance).

If A, the person doesn't seem to care what other people do on his network.
If B, the person doesn't realize THEY are responsible for any illicit activity anyone else does on his network (criminal activity that HE goes to jail for).
If C, then I'd be checking your bank/credit statements EVERY DAY until the card expires.

As others have stated, it you have any concerns about using the network, common sense says, "Don't use it!"

-Wolf sends

When i buy things online, i don't use my credit card. I simply buy the, and i pay with physical money (cash) to the person who delivers the things.

My main concern is that someone can hack my device and copy/tranfer files from my device to their device. Is this possible?

 

[DSzymborski]

My main concern is that someone can hack my device and copy/tranfer files from my device to their device. Is this possible?

This question has been asked by you and answered repeatedly over many of your dozens and dozens of posted threads including this one. If you're so concerned, then don't use someone else's network.

Considering the cost of your ongoing plan to somehow manufacture Intel Core2Duo CPUs in your house or buy dozens of CPUs and motherboards to run your special project for 200 years, paying for your own internet access has miniscule budget impact.