Canada (Commonwealth Union) – Wi-Fi routers and devices have often been a favorite of hackers to hack into systems and steal data and engage in other activities. Hackers may be even more pleased to find out that using drones might make their job much easier, according to a study conducted by the University of Waterloo.
Researchers have created a drone-powered device that can apply Wi-Fi networks to see through walls. The device, nicknamed Wi-Peep, may hover close to a building and then utilize the inhabitants’ Wi-Fi network to mark and locate every Wi-Fi-enabled device in the building within seconds.
The Wi-Peep makes use of a loophole the researchers refer to as polite Wi-Fi, irrespective of whether a network is accessible via a password. The smart devices will spontaneously respond to contact attempts from any device in the range. The Wi-Peep transmits many messages to a device as it flies, gaging the response time for each one, enabling it to mark the device location to within a meter.
Dr. Ali Abedi, an adjunct professor of computer science at Waterloo, emphasized the importance of this discovery. He stated that the Wi-Peep devices are similar to lights in the visible spectrum, and the walls are similar to glass.
“Using similar technology, one could track the movements of security guards inside a bank by following the location of their phones or smartwatches. Likewise, a thief could identify the location and type of smart devices in a home, including security cameras, laptops, and smart TVs, to find a good candidate for a break-in. In addition, the device’s operation via drone means that it can be used quickly and remotely without much chance of the user being detected,” he said.
While researchers looked into Wi-Fi security vulnerability on prior occasions with bulky, expensive devices, the Wi-Peep stands out due to its accessibility and ease of transportation.
