The Spooky Neighbor: How Hackers Can Exploit Nearby Wi-Fi for Network Infiltration

Photo by Shubham Dhage on Unsplash

Imagine this: a cybercriminal thousands of miles away breaches your company’s network. Sounds like a Hollywood plot, right? Not necessarily. The recent “Nearest Neighbor Attack” uncovered by cybersecurity firm Volexity highlights a chillingly ingenious method attackers can use to gain access — by exploiting nearby Wi-Fi networks.

Breaching Through Borrowed Networks

In this attack, hackers targeted a US firm. However, they didn’t directly infiltrate the company’s Wi-Fi. Instead, they compromised a separate, nearby organization’s Wi-Fi network. Think of it like a chain reaction. By gaining access to this “neighboring network,” the attackers could then leverage valid login credentials to establish a foothold.

This “foothold” allowed them to essentially hop from network to network, eventually reaching the target company. It’s like using a series of stepping stones to cross a river — all without ever setting foot on the target’s property!

The Power of “Living Off the Land” Techniques

The attackers didn’t rely on sophisticated malware. Instead, they employed “living off the land techniques” (LOLbins). These techniques involve using legitimate system tools for malicious purposes. In this case, the attackers…