Today’s post from Polish site Niebezpiecznik.pl about how hackers are slowly changing attack techniques gave us an idea, that we should remind you how our SmartDNS can help you stay safer in the wild jungle, that is Internet today.
How is it done?
For the very specifics we would like to direct you to the niebezpiecznik.pl site (or to their source link above) where whole process is described step by step (almost). In short however (as not all of you can understand Polish) this is how it is made.
Hackers managed to insert additional “iframe” with malicious JavaScript. Code was “trying to guess” local IP address of a router and from what we read it is not that difficult to achieve. We would think that having additional layer of security provided by VPN – VPN hides IP address – would make (at least in some cases) things even more difficult for intruders. For the sake of argument let’s assume you only use SmartDNS to unblock video websites. Once the local IP was established, code was trying to guess password to your router (a simple, brute force attack). Many people do not bother with such simple thing as password change or password is simple. Once the attack and brake in to router was successful DNS settings of the router were changed.
Now, when you tried to access specific sites (their list was not published by Website Security) instead of going to your bank site you were redirected to site looking exactly the same, but… a fake one. There you could have been prompted to give away different types of information – login, account number, password, etc.
We know, most of you reading this will think – impossible! No one would give away such information, but…reality shows different.
How can SmartDNS help?
People who do not use Smart DNS unblock in most cases rely on automatic DNS settings of their router. Since all websites do function normally and only in case of specific ones users is being redirected to a website prepared by hackers they will have no clue, that something is wrong. Let’s face it, how often do we log in to our home routers to check if DNS settings are still set to automatic? Exactly! But if you use SmartDNS to unblock Netflix, Hulu, iPlayer, etc… and suddenly you’ll see it does not work this will be the first hint for you indicating that there is something wrong. You’ll update your IP as we ask for our proxy DNS system to work… but the sites you want to use – Crackle, LoveFilm, SkyGo will still not work – log in to your router and check if the DNS settings are the way you set them (as we have instructed). If not than you have proof you were under hackers attack!
Let your friends know about it and ask them to check their routers… just in case!
