$IMCaptain
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Hacked personal hotspot?

I noticed two connections on my personal hotspot while at a coffee shop. I quickly turned it off and when I turned it back on, it showed only one connection which was me. It appears that my personal hotspot password was not changed as I have noticed has happened with others.  Maybe I turned it off quickly enough.  What benefit would someone have to do this other than for malicious activity?  I was using my ipad  and had to briefly log into one of my brokerage sites (I have never done this before but assumed my hotspot was secure)  Is my hotspot not secure and could they have possibly retrieved passwords from my ipad during this time?

iPhone 5

Posted on Dec 10, 2014 1:24 PM

by Phil0124,Solvedanswer
Phil0124 Phil0124
Level 7 (27,397 points)
iPhone
A:

$IMCaptain wrote:

 

Thanks Phil.  I feel much better about my information and security.

 

Two further questions: my password is very secure so I have no idea how that could be hacked.  Is it that easy?  S

No.  Personal hotspot uses WPA2 security for the Wifi password. Which is the strongest Wifi security currently available. So not easy. 

 

$IMCaptain wrote:

 

Thanks Phil.  I feel much better about my information and security.

 

Secondly, any idea why one would try and piggyback on my hotspot when there is wifi in the coffeeshop?

Either by mistake, which is quite common if they were looking for their own hotspot, or just to see if they could.

Posted on Dec 10, 2014 2:11 PM

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$IMCaptain

Q: Hacked personal hotspot?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Phil0124,Helpful

    Phil0124 Phil0124 Dec 10, 2014 1:37 PM in response to $IMCaptain
    Level 7 (27,397 points)
    iPhone
    Dec 10, 2014 1:37 PM in response to $IMCaptain

    The Hotspot provides access to the internet through your iPhone.   Nothing more.  There is no direct access to the iPhone or your iPad. Nothing would have been retrieved from either device.

     

    The Hotspot would be visible to everybody close enough and looking for Wireless networks to connect to, but without the password they would not be able to actually connect.

     

    Your best security measure is to change your Hotspot password to something hard to guess.

     

    But as it stands you have nothing to worry about.

  • by $IMCaptain,

    $IMCaptain $IMCaptain Dec 10, 2014 1:45 PM in response to Phil0124
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 10, 2014 1:45 PM in response to Phil0124

    Thanks Phil.  I feel much better about my information and security.

     

    Two further questions: my password is very secure so I have no idea how that could be hacked.  Is it that easy?  Secondly, any idea why one would try and piggyback on my hotspot when there is wifi in the coffeeshop?  Just sort of scares me and makes me afraid to try this again.

  • by Phil0124,Solvedanswer

    Phil0124 Phil0124 Dec 10, 2014 2:11 PM in response to $IMCaptain
    Level 7 (27,397 points)
    iPhone
    Dec 10, 2014 2:11 PM in response to $IMCaptain

    $IMCaptain wrote:

     

    Thanks Phil.  I feel much better about my information and security.

     

    Two further questions: my password is very secure so I have no idea how that could be hacked.  Is it that easy?  S

    No.  Personal hotspot uses WPA2 security for the Wifi password. Which is the strongest Wifi security currently available. So not easy. 

     

    $IMCaptain wrote:

     

    Thanks Phil.  I feel much better about my information and security.

     

    Secondly, any idea why one would try and piggyback on my hotspot when there is wifi in the coffeeshop?

    Either by mistake, which is quite common if they were looking for their own hotspot, or just to see if they could.