HIDEMYASS! EXPERIMENT: 7-YEAR OLD GIRL HACKS PUBLIC WI-FI IN LESS THAN 11 MINUTES

A 7-year old was able to hack into a public Wi-Fi hotspot and access a stranger’s laptop in less than 11 minutes.  

Alerting the public to the risks of using unsecured public Wi-Fi is something we at Hide My Ass! are really concerned about, so much so, that we ran a recent experiment to demonstrate how easy it is to hack into a public Wi-Fi hotspot, and what better way than setting the challenge to a 7- year old?

We set the challenge to IT-savvy primary school student Betsy Davies from Dulwich in South London, who was able to hack into a public Wi-Fi hotspot after she searched and watched a video tutorial online which explained how to hack a network. It took 7-year old Betsy just 10 minutes and 54 seconds to hack into a Wi-Fi hotspot. She then set up a Rogue Access Point which is often used by cybercriminals to trigger a ‘man in the middle’ attack allowing her to ‘sniff’ traffic.

Stay safe when using public Wi-Fi hotspots

The most secure way to protect your data from being hacked when using a public Wi-Fi hotspot is to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN).  A VPN encrypts all the data you send over the internet, sending it through a private VPN tunnel, meaning that if there is anyone waiting to steal your information, all they will see is a lot of mumbo jumbo. When you use a VPN, you are given a new personal IP (Internet Protocol) address and your data is encrypted, so when you use public Wi-Fi, every task you perform appears as if it is coming from the VPN.

Coverage

We’re delighted that our campaign to warn the public about the dangers of using public Wi-Fi hotspots has made the rounds in so many different publications, highlighting the fact that if a 7- year old is able to hack into public Wi-Fi, then anyone can!

Here are some of our favourites – where, of course, you can find out more information including how to stay safe on Wi-Fi networks and a Wi-Fi hacker’s glossary.

Daily Mail
Hacking Wi-Fi is child’s play! 7-year-old shows how easy it is to break into a public network in less than 11 MINUTES

Information Age 
How a 7-year-old girl hacked a public Wi-Fi network in 10 minutes

Yahoo
Children can hack into public WiFi

ITV
7-year-old girl takes just 10 minutes to hack into public WiFi network and access stranger’s laptop 

Irish Examiner
Child hacks public WiFi network to prove how insecure they are

Check out our great Wi-Fi safety tips to learn more.

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CAR HACKING ON THE RISE! HOW TO PREVENT CAR HACKING

Car hacking is on the rise, with thousands of cars being stolen in London, UK alone. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent your car being hacked.

In a recent crime report The Metropolitan Police reported around 21,000 cars were stolen in London and another 68,000 were broken into – that’s an incredible 89,000 cars stolen and broken into in one year. And more than half of these break-ins and thefts were down to car hacking – meaning that criminals were able to break in and steal cars without using physical force. What’s also frightening is the speed with which they were able to make off with a car – in under 10 seconds!

Car hackers can easily hack into a car’s security system and then program a blank key, and start the engine without the need of a physical key, according to The Sunday Times. You can find out more about how thieves can break into your car at The Sunday Times Driving.

The London Evening Standard reported recently that car hacking is so prevalent in some areas of London that criminals are turning their attention to luxury cars such as BMW’s and Range Rovers. So much so, that police in the affluent borough of Kensington and Chelsea began to stop any driver of a luxury car after midnight, to verify that they are indeed the rightful owner.

What is car hacking?

Many luxury cars are fitted with a wireless network or Bluetooth which car hackers exploit to access a car’s internal computer. What may come as a surprise to some is that in a modern day car, according to Mr Corman, a spokesman for grassroots group I Am The Cavalry (IATC), told the BBC that up to 200 Electronic Control Units (ECU’s) are embedded in a vehicle. These mini computers perform  important functions including the braking system, acceleration, and the airbag.

These mini computers communicate with one another, passing on information such as monitoring the journey a car takes, keeping a record and storing the data in the computers memory system. Data from the airbag, for example, can indicate that a collision is imminent, this information is sent to the main computer, and the airbag is  deployed.

Edmund King, president of the AA, told The Times “You are now getting cars that are connected to the internet 24 hours a day. If cybercriminals targeted automobiles like they’re targeting other things we’d be in for a hard and fast ride.” He added, “the more cars rely on technology, particularly remote technology, the more there is to get at.”

Our need to stay connected, whether by phone, laptop or car, brings a smile to many a criminals face. As technological capabilities expand, so do the abilities of car hackers,  and criminals – it’s a serious cat-and-mouse game. A spokesperson for BMW speaking to the Daily Mail said “It’s a technology race between ourselves and the criminal gangs.”

And if that’s not bad enough, car hackers and criminals could also be able to listen in on our conversations, by switching on car microphones, according to Jacques Louw of MWR security.

But, what can you do to prevent your car from being hacked? Norton and the London Metropolitan Police have a number of recommendations.

5 steps to prevent your car being hacked

• Remember crook locks? Well, the Metropolitan London police recommend using this simple security measure to secure your car
• Use car tracking devices
• Keep your car in a secure place, for example, a garage or a safe area under CCTV surveillance
• Only trust reputable car dealers and repair stores – you certainly don’t want unscrupulous garages meddling with your car’s computer systems
• Don’t be afraid to ask the car dealer about the car’s wireless systems. Ask them whether the systems can be operated remotely

For more ways to prevent your car from being hacked check the Norton website and more information can be found by visiting the London Metropolitan police website.

And don’t forget that you can easily bolster the security on your PC, MAC, Android or iPhone with HMA! Pro VPN – the best VPN provider on the market. Check out our website for more information on HMA! Pro VPN and also check out our great tips on Wi-Fi safety!

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DD-WRT ROUTER USING LT2P PROTOCOL

In this tutorial we show you how to set up your DD-WRT router using the L2TP protocol.

Using the LT2P protocol, as well as PPTP is a lot easier to setup than using OpenVPN.

If you prefer, you can set-up a PPTP connection

If you have any issues with speed, or experience connection problems, we recommend that you try using all 3 protocols (PPTP, L2TP, and OpenVPN.)

To successfully establish an L2TP connection on your DD-WRT router you will need good / bug-free DD-WRT firmware. We recommend builds such as Big, Mega and VPN, with build numbers 14896 and 21676. If you’re not sure whether your router supports the DD-WRT firmware, check their router database

Accessing your router

To access your router via cable or Wi-Fi, open your browser and type your DD-WRT local IP address which is 192.168.1.1 (by default), however, you can change it if you prefer.

Setup

When you enter the DD-WRT Control Panel, click on “Setup“. Right below it, click on “Basic Setup” and you’ll see the “WAN Setup“. Now please edit the fields as follows:

1. 1. WAN Connection Type:

• Connection Type: Choose “L2TP” from the drop-down menu
• Gateway (L2TP server): Enter any of the server IPs that you can find by logging into the VPN Control Panel and clicking on “Software & Help“. Then click on “View” next to “Manually set-up VPN – No software“. Copy and paste the server IP address that you wish to connect to.
• Username: Your HMA! account username
• Password: Enter your special PPTP password. This can be found by logging into the VPN Control Panel and clicking on “Software & Help“. Then click on “View” next to “Manually set-up VPN – No software“

Edit connection settings as explained below:

• Enable “Use DHCP”
• Enable “Require CHAP”
• Disable “Refuse PAP”
• Enable “Require Authentication”
• Disable Receive IPTV
• Connection Strategy: Check “Keep Alive” (Redial Period 30 seconds)

2. Optional Settings

• STP: Disable “STP” option

3. Network Address Server Settings (DHCP)

• DHCP Type: Select “DHCP Server” from the drop-down menu
• Enable “DHCP server“
• Static DNS 1: Enter 208.67.222.222
• Static DNS 2: Enter 208.67.220.220
• Static DNS 3: Enter 8.8.8.8

Please note: Settings / fields that were not mentioned, leave as default or blank.

When you’re done, please double-check the settings that you have modified (use the image below as a reference) and then click “Save” and then “Apply Settings”

Check your location

Once you’ve clicked “Apply Settings“, this means you’ve started connecting to your chosen VPN server. After a few moments, you will have successfully connected!

If you wish you can check your location when connected to the VPN.

You can click on the “Status” tab and then click “WAN” to check your connection. Simply click  “Disconnect” if you wish to disconnect from the VPN.

Need help?

If you have any questions, or need assistance to set up your DD-WRT using the LT2P protocol, please feel free to drop us an email. And don’t forget that you can also speak with a live agent by using Donkey Chat.

Check out our website for more information on HMA! Pro VPN and also our HMA! Help Center for more how-to’s and tips!

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Internet censorship in Cuba

Cuba is well known for a number of things, from cigars, salsa and Cha Cha dancing to the now retired Communist leader Fidel Castro. What you may not know, is that the vast majority of Cuba’s 11 million residents aren’t able to access an open and free internet.

According to Freedom House’s 2013 Freedom on the Net, only 5% of Cubans have access to an open internet, placing Cuba just ahead of Iran and behind China in the rankings.


Can you imagine not being able to use the internet on your phone or access the internet at home? I’m sure you can’t, but for the majority of Cubans this is sadly the norm. Most mobile phones in Cuba don’t even include internet connections, and you’d be hard pressed to find internet in people’s homes. This is mainly because a basic home computer costs US$722,  compare that to a Cuban’s average monthly salary of around $20 a month  and you can see why.  Those who can access the internet, are mostly government officials, academics, doctors and state approved journalists, according to Ellery Biddle, who has researched Cuba’s internet issues for six years.

Cubans who wish to use the internet legally can use one of the 600 Youth Computer Clubs  or one of 118 state-owned internet cafes, which cost around $4.50 per hour. 

To be able to use one of these cafes or Youth clubs Cubans must provide identification so authorities can monitor and view their interactions and communications.  Super fast internet is non-existant , those who do pay these hefty prices, experience extremely slow speeds, which basically allows them to check their email – so, forget streaming online videos!

There are only two ISPs in Cuba, CENIAI Internet and ENET (ETECSA) which are both state owned. The Cuban government installed software on all public computers to monitor internet activity which also collects data from public computers.  Cubans have very little, if any room to breath, every move they make is monitored.

One company trying to encourage open internet in Cuba, is Google. Recently, according to the Cuban blog 4yomedio.com,  its Chairman Eric Schmidt and a number of open internet advocates visited the country with the aim of “promoting the virtues of a free and open Internet.” No other details about the unofficial visit were given, but it clearly demonstrates Google’s desire to bring about internet freedom in a tightly controlled, and restrictive country.

For now, accessing social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter is hit and miss (they have both been blocked in the past) but as in Pakistan, YouTube remains blocked.

However, there are several ways that Cubans bypass government censorship, one of which is to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network.)  Hide My Ass! have the largest number of servers around the globe, and for those in Cuba, whether you live there or are visiting the country, your best bet would be to connect to one of our US servers. Once connected, all your online activity is hidden, nobody can snoop on your online activities, who you communicate with or what you post online.

At HMA! we believe that everyone has the right to a free and open internet. We deplore any government that restricts its citizens from being able to voice their opinions, and communicate with the outside world. Take back your right to a free and open internet with HMA!
Visit our website for more information about HMA! Pro VPN

China cracks down on instant messaging services

The Chinese government have tightened their grip on social media to stamp out ‘rumours’ and ‘harmful’ material online by passing new rules requiring organisations and companies as well as celebrities to use their real name before using WeChat (or Weixin as it’s known in China), and other IM service providers. And those who don’t abide, are for the chop! Yes, sadly the political views of Chinese netizens are not welcome in the People’s Republic of China.

Those with other public accounts who want to share political news will need prior approval before publishing it.  The Xinhua News Agency told The Economic Times that new account holders “would need to sign a contract promising to “obey the law and uphold the socialist system.”  For the time being, it looks like the new rules don’t apply to instant messaging between WeChat users.  Of course, this new rule has nothing to do with controlling and blocking their right to freedom of expression and a free, open and internet. No, nothing at all…


According to Xinhua news, those who want to use WeChat to share political news will have to hand over their real ID, and go through a background check before they can gain access to it.
But it’s not all bad news, – they can still use their nickname – err yeah, great, I’m sure that will make their day!

This news has rightly angered many social media users who do not see this new regulation as a means to “clean up the online environment and rein in rumormongers.” Murong Xuecun, a popular Chinese blogger told The New York Times “The real reason is there’s lots more freedom of speech and public information online these days, and that’s a fatal blow to a regime built on lies.”

There are almost 400 million active WeChat users, who use it to not only chat online, and share political news and information, but use it to text, play games and make mobile payments.  China clearly sees social media as an enormous threat to its dictatorial regime and is determined to stamp out ‘harmful’ content.  According to Public Radio International The State Internet Information Office only want to “further promote the healthy and orderly development of public information services, protect the legitimate rights and interests of citizens, legal persons and other organizations, and safeguard national security and public interests.” Yes, of course, they do…!

Fortunately many internet users in China have found ways to circumvent blocks placed on websites, by using a VPN (Virtual Private Network.) When you connect to VPN server, you’re given a new IP address, that allows you to surf the net safe in the knowledge that your government cannot spy on your online activity.

If you are planning a business trip to China, bear in mind that you will not be able to access some of the internets most popular websites, including Google, Facebook, YouTube, Dropbox, and Twitter. However, there is a way around this, and that’s to use HMA! Pro VPN – (yes, shameless plug.)  I recommend that you purchase it and get it set up on your device, iPhone, Mac, Android, PC, etc. before you arrive in China to make sure everything is working perfectly.

VPNs give Chinese netizens access to a free and open internet, so they can read other articles rather than dreary pro-government material, and access social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.  Spread the word to your friends living in China, and help them bypass government censorship using HMA! Pro VPN.  Feel free to give them our email address info@hidemyass.com and a member of our support team will assist them.

Whether you live in China or other countries such as Russia or Turkey whose governments decide what information you can access or what you can post online, it’s great to know that HMA! Pro VPN is here to help you bypass these tyrannical internet dictators, and stupid blocks placed on your favourite websites.

If you would like more information about HMA! Pro VPN please feel free to contact us or visit our website for further details.

Be the first to test run the new HMA! Mac client

We are very excited to release the Beta version of the HideMyAss! VPN client v2.0.15.4 (for Mac) and get it into the hands of our users.
New Features and improvements:

1. All major icons have been revamped giving a sleeker, more contemporary look and are optimised for Retina displays
2. HMA! Pro VPN now supports the Menu Bar, allowing you to control your VPN connection; connect, disconnect and change IP
3. Users’ can now unhide the app when it’s minimised
4. We have also made proxy settings more user friendly, giving you an even better experience using HideMyAss!

Please note, that we have now frozen support for version OS X 10.6 with version 1.17. Customers using OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) can continue to use the existing version (v1.17) which is downloadable from our website.
We always welcome any comments or questions you may have so, please, feel free to let us know on our Google Beta Community page.

The security risks of BYOD

Today, we can work where we want, with millions of us using smartphones, tablets and laptops accessing public Wi-Fi to keep abreast of the latest goings on at work, to shoot off urgent emails and send files. But have you ever asked yourself whether the Wi-Fi network you use in that coffee shop, in that restaurant or airport to conduct your work, is secure? The Telegraph recently reported figures from online security firm ZoneAlarm that 64 per cent of Brits are not concerned about connecting to unsecured Wi-Fi, and a massive 85 per cent of us still use public Wi-Fi without taking the right security measures. Those are alarming figures, but why do we play Russian roulette with not only sensitive company data, but that of our own private and confidential information?

When using public Wi-Fi we open the door to cybercriminals, who can steal data from your device within seconds. That data could include banking details, user names, passwords, highly confidential corporate information, customers personal details, the list goes on.

One thing to remember is that routers can have a range of 100 metres, so although you may be satisfied that everyone in the coffee shop looks ‘normal’ the cyber thief may actually be operating down the road from you. There are a number of ways how you can stop your data on your device from getting into the wrong hands, for example, verify with the coffee shop or hotel staff what the correct network connection name is. It’s imperative to know it’s a genuine connection, as many cybercriminals setup fake hotspots, waiting for you to connect to their network. Using a legitimate coffee shop Wi-Fi is one step in the right direction, but thieves can still attack hotspots as they provide no data encryption.The scary thing is that you won’t even know that you’re being hacked as there are no warning signs, no alarm bells.

More and more, small businesses are being targeted by cyber thieves. Why? Well, there are a number of reasons, but perhaps the biggest one, is that the majority of small businesses take little to no security measures to protect and secure their business, making them a honey pot to cyber thieves. Another reason they favour small businesses is because many of them have larger clients on their books, so they see them as a stepping stone to a bigger meal ticket down the road.

If you don’t beef up your business security, you could end up decimating your client business relationships, or worse still, end up losing your business. According to an article in PC World “one in five small businesses falls victim to cybercrime each year. And of those, 60 percent go out of business within six months after an attack.”

Another security issue of using public hotspots is that cyber thieves can also transmit malware on your device when you’ve connected to it. BAE systems Applied Intelligence telecoms sector director Rajiv Shah Telecoms told Arnnet.com “If an employee then connects a compromised device to the corporate network this can be a backdoor route to let a determined criminal mount an even wider-ranging attack.”

Lack of security in your business is a big concern, but fortunately there are security steps you can take, one of which is to purchase a VPN – of course HMA! Pro VPN, which will give your company a solid layer of protection when using devices at public hotspots. When you use a VPN on your smartphone, laptop or tablet all your data is encrypted, cyber thieves and hackers cannot steal any of your personal information, your ISP cannot see what you get up to online; and your government cannot snoop on your online activities.

Others security measures you can take include installing anti-virus software on all your devices, use secure passwords, not only on your laptops, smartphones, but on your network Wi-Fi, and backup your files and data as a safety precaution.

With more and more Wi-Fi hot spots popping up around the globe comes the increase of Wi-Fi hacking. Taking the right steps to protect your data is crucial if you want your business to survive. Remember, educating yourself and your employees about the dangers of using public Wi-Fi could save you $$$’s or, even your business!

Click here to find out more about HMA! Pro VPN.