A Hacker Reveals Why You Shouldn't Use The Wi-Fi In An Airbnb

Casey Bond
Is the Wi-Fi in your Airbnb rental safe? Not always. (Photo: Yahoo7 News)
Is the Wi-Fi in your Airbnb rental safe? Not always. (Photo: Yahoo7 News)

Most Airbnb users book stays with no major issues. But staying in a stranger’s house means you inevitably make yourself vulnerable to some risks, some of which have included scams, hidden cameras and discrimination. It can be hard to let your guard down while renting an Airbnb ― and you shouldn’t, even if everything seems to check out.

That’s because there could be another danger lurking in your rental that’s harder to detect: the Wi-Fi.

Beware The Wi-Fi

You probably know to use extra caution when using public Wi-Fi networks such as those at your local coffee shop or the airport. Even when a password is required to access the network, you’re at risk of a number of different kinds of attacks, according to Jason Glassberg, an “ethical hacker” and co-founder of Casaba Security.

A common one, he said, is the “evil twin” attack, which involves setting up a fraudulent Wi-Fi access point that looks legitimate. Users enter their credentials to log on or are directed to a malicious site that looks like the one they intended to visit but is actually secretly capturing their information. Similarly, a “man in the middle” attack allows hackers to essentially eavesdrop on web traffic and gain access to sensitive information the users believe is being shared privately.

“The same worries and warnings you would give someone about using public Wi-Fi should really be the same when you’re going into an Airbnb, because someone can set up the very same infrastructure in the rental property,” Glassberg said.

It doesn’t take an ill-willed host for this to happen, either. Often, it’s past guests who have compromised the Wi-Fi. Unlike at your local coffee shop, a router in an Airbnb is often left out in a common space with no supervision, allowing anyone who stays there to tamper with it.

Hacking a Wi-Fi router can be as easy as using a paperclip to reset it and gain admin control. From there, scammers can review the router’s backup file for the credentials it’s stored, or reroute traffic to a personal computer where they can collect valuable data months or years later.

Watch Out For Smart Devices Too

The Wi-Fi router isn’t the only way hackers can steal your data. There are a variety of devices often found in an Airbnb that can appear to be an added convenience but are really there to capture your information.

For instance, Glassberg said a host might leave a tablet or desktop available to guests so they can check email or catch up on Facebook. Maybe there’s a smart TV that allows you to log into your favorite streaming service. All of these devices can be used to harvest user credentials with a simple key logger.

One of the big problems Glassberg says he sees with people’s online habits is password reuse. People will use the same password for their Amazon account, Gmail, Netflix, etc. “The thing to remember is that these smart TVs are really computers stuffed in the back of a television,” Glassberg said. “They have things like video cameras, and they have online conveniences like Netflix. So if I can capture one set of credentials, there’s a very good possibility that I could reuse them somewhere else,” he explained.

Even an item as innocuous as a shared printer can pose a threat. “In the same way you think you’re connecting to a website, you can think you’re connecting to this printer, but it’s actually a rogue device,” Glassberg said. Scammers can also hack into the printer to view documents that have been sent to it or even install malware that lets them control it remotely. “It’s not a very common attack, but it is a risk,” Glassberg said.

Unfortunately, opting for a regular hotel won’t eliminate the risk. Though major hotels will likely have more security features in place, that’s not always the case, and similar concerns about using Airbnb Wi-Fi networks apply to hotels too.

For example, Glassberg was recently traveling overseas and noticed that his hotel used Cisco equipment. On a lark, he decided to see if he could gain access to the network. “I logged in with the old ‘admin’ ‘admin’ credentials and what do you know? Default password,” he said.

Further, hotels present a much wider net for hackers to collect information. “At a hotel, [scammers] may have a greater level of success because there are a lot more guests,” Glassberg said. “The payoff also is potentially higher, because more guests mean more people entering credit cards, etc.”

How To Protect Yourself Against Wi-Fi Security Threats

So does this mean you should cancel your summer travel plans and forget about lodging? Not at all. There are a few easy things you can do to protect your sensitive information while using Wi-Fi.

First, keeping your devices and computer up to date with the latest patches and software is the most important thing you can do securitywise, Glassberg said, whether you’re logging into your own network or somebody else’s.

If you do need to use the Wi-Fi, consider going through a virtual private network (VPN). “It’s a very simple thing to do nowadays,” Glassberg said. In fact, there are several services available online for a few dollars a month.

Another option is to use your phone as a hot spot, which creates a secure Wi-Fi network you can log onto with your laptop or other device. “It was very expensive years ago, but now, it’s part of just about everyone’s package,” Glassberg said.

Use Your Best Judgment

It’s unlikely that you’ll get hacked using your Airbnb’s Wi-Fi, but it’s always a possibility. So be safe rather than sorry, and avoid visiting particularly sensitive websites or performing financial transactions on an unknown network. For example, you’re probably fine checking the news, but don’t log into your bank account or PayPal a friend.

“At the end of the day, any infrastructure that’s not your own should be treated with a great deal of suspicion,” Glassberg said.

Related Coverage

5 Foolproof Ways to Outsmart Scammers When Traveling This Summer

Worried About Facebook Tracking Your Data? A Fake Account Might Help.

4 Ways To Tell If There Are Hidden Cameras In Your Airbnb

Also on HuffPost

Roll Over Your Old 401(k)

&ldquo;Employees should consider rolling over an old 401(k) or 403(b)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.huffpost.com/topic/retirement">retirement</a>&nbsp;plan into an IRA, which typically takes a matter of minutes. Though the money in the old plan will continue to grow tax-deferred, investors can end up paying much higher fees in an employer-sponsored retirement plan such as a 401(k) due to expensive fund options and plan administration costs. Those fees eat directly into an individual&rsquo;s potential return. The savings can be significant if you switch to an IRA &mdash; even close to 1 percent in some cases. Over time, that can really add up.&rdquo; ―&nbsp;<i>Kristin McFarland, a wealth advisor and certified financial planner at&nbsp;<a href="https://darrowwealthmanagement.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Darrow Wealth Management</a>&nbsp;in Boston.</i>

Switch Banks

&ldquo;If you aren&rsquo;t earning at least 1 percent on your savings, you&rsquo;re leaving money on the table. By simply switching from a traditional brick-and-mortar bank to a high-yield&nbsp;<a href="https://www.huffpost.com/topic/savings-account">savings account</a>, you can make your money work harder for you and earn on your savings effortlessly. It takes just a few seconds to compare interest rates between financial institutions to find the best option for you; opening a high-yield online savings account can be done in a matter of minutes.&rdquo; ―&nbsp;<i>Andrea Woroch,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.andreaworoch.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">consumer savings expert</a></i>

Negotiate With Your Internet Provider

&ldquo;Call your internet provider and negotiate your bill. Let them know your budget has changed and you are shopping around. Providers usually have some sort of special promotion going on that they&rsquo;ll offer you. For example, my provider once offered a huge discount for college students and gave us our internet for half price during the school year. Spending 10 minutes on the phone saved us around $300-$400.&rdquo; ―&nbsp;<i>Jaime Gibbs, a faith and finance blogger at&nbsp;</i><a href="http://likeabubblingbrook.com/"><i>Like a Bubbling Brook</i></a>

Complete A Health Assessment

&ldquo;Many people don&rsquo;t realize that their health insurance provider offers the option to complete a health assessment, which means they miss out on hundreds of dollars each year. Ours has typically been a simple online survey that takes about 20 minutes to complete. In exchange (no matter what the results), we get $150 in gift cards for every insured person over 18.&rdquo; ―&nbsp;<i>Val Breit, owner of personal finance blog&nbsp;</i><a href="http://thecommoncentsclub.com/"><i>The Common Cents Club</i></a>

Sign Up For Auto-Pay

&ldquo;If you follow a reasonable budget, setting your bills to auto-pay is a great way to save time and money. Start by looking at your monthly mandatory expenses and find a company that incentivizes customers to sign up for automatic billing. Usually, they&rsquo;ll offer a reduced interest rate or discounts on future transactions, depending on what type of bill it is. If you&rsquo;re going to have to pay a bill eventually, why not get a discount for doing it automatically? Common places to find discounts can include student loans, car loans or utilities such as your electric bill. And the biggest perk? You don&rsquo;t have to worry about remembering to pay the bill in full each month ― it&rsquo;s all taken care of.&rdquo;&nbsp;<i>― Ben Huber, owner of&nbsp;</i><a href="https://www.dollarsprout.com/"><i>Dollar Sprout</i></a>

Rethink Your Health Insurance

&ldquo;Re-evaluate your health insurance options at work since now is enrollment time. What did you sign up for in the past that you now don&rsquo;t need? For example, I knew someone who had health insurance and cancer insurance. The cancer insurance, which she did not need, was $100 a month. She removed it for instant savings.&rdquo;&nbsp;<i>― Ja&rsquo;Net Adams, speaker, author and creator of&nbsp;</i><a href="https://www.debtsucksuniversity.com/"><i>Debt Sucks University</i></a>

Skim Your Bank Statements

&ldquo;Spend 30 to 60 minutes one evening and review your past two to three months of bank statements. You might find your bank is charging you monthly maintenance fees that can be avoided and save you a couple hundred dollars a year. One way to avoid monthly fees is to enroll in direct deposit or, if you can, keep at least $1,000 in your checking account.&rdquo; ―&nbsp;<i>Jason Reposa, CEO and co-founder of&nbsp;</i><a href="https://www.mybanktracker.com/"><i>MyBankTracker</i></a>

Listen To A Personal Finance Podcast

&ldquo;There are many out there, which can be from a few minutes long to almost an hour. These types of podcasts will greatly impact your knowledge and help you to learn how to save money at no cost to you. And you also aren&rsquo;t spending hours to learn, either. It&rsquo;s something I do each week and has helped me make smarter money choices.&rdquo; ―&nbsp;<i>Todd Kunsman, founder of&nbsp;<a href="https://investedwallet.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Invested Wallet</a></i>

Switch To A Prepaid Cellphone Plan

&ldquo;Call your cellphone provider and ask about their prepaid pricing plans. With a few minutes on the phone, you can save $15 or more per month ($180+ per year), plus increase your data limit. After switching to prepaid, we saved $15 a month and increased our data from 3GB shared to 10GB each (20GB total).&rdquo;&nbsp;<i>― Evan and Nikayla, the bloggers behind&nbsp;</i><a href="https://budgetingcouple.com/budgeting/"><i>Budgeting Couple</i></a>

Set It And Forget It

&ldquo;Using an app like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.acorns.com/" rel="nofollow">Acorns</a>&nbsp;can take less than 10 minutes to set up and will continuously save (and actually invest) money every time you make a purchase. Acorns works by rounding up each transaction to the nearest dollar and investing the difference for you automatically. It&rsquo;s a simple and quick way to get a method of saving and investing money every single day in place.&rdquo; ―&nbsp;<i>Dustyn Ferguson, blogger at&nbsp;</i><a href="https://dimewilltell.com/"><i>Dime Will Tell</i></a>

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.