Hackers find new ways to compromise your technology

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – A cybersecurity expert is warning to disable the Wi-Fi on your phone every time you are out running errands.

Zohar Pinhasi is the CEO of Monster Cloud and a cyber security expert. Recently he showed us how he can hack into phones or computers using a homemade device he refers to as his ‘honey pot.’ Basically, Pinhasi says our phones or computers are constantly sending signals to try and connect to wireless networks that we have used in the past. His ‘honey pot’ sends a signal to our phones and computers, tricking them into connecting with his device and once that happens you are in trouble.

“Our device what it would do is, it would say are you looking for Starbucks, I’m Starbucks, you can get connected to me.”

Pinhasi says you would have no idea your phone connected to a different network than Starbucks. He says from there he is able to steal your information, like a username and password or even control what you can see on your phone. In one example, I tried to log onto the WINK News website. I got the website and it looked legitimate but the headlines for the stories were something Pinhasi made up.

He also warned about another trick hackers are using that involves social engineering. He says they will try to get you to plug a USB device into your computer and that USB has a virus on it.

“You take this device and you tell the secretary, you walk into the front desk ‘Hey listen, my laptop just ran out of battery. Can you do me a quick favor? Can you just copy a file for me? I’ll pay you $100 even.’ Usually the person would say, ‘Hey it’s fine, don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it for you.’ As soon as you plug it in, that’s it. It takes three seconds, four seconds, a black window pops up.”

Pinhasi says that USB is actually a micro SD card that hackers can program to copy your files, erase them or even make it so your computer can record your audio and video.

“A company in downtown Miami, a law firm, that somebody approached them with that USB device and gained access to every document that they had on the network …And every piece of information that they had was leaked to the Internet.”

Pinhasi says never trust anyone and don’t let people plug unknown devices into your computer.