“Wi-Fi Pineapple” is a silly name for a real threat to your cybersecurity. These devices trick you into connecting to fake Wi-Fi networks to intercept data and compromise your privacy. Here’s how to protect against Pineapples and Wi-Fi attacks.

What Is a Wi-Fi Pineapple?

A Wi-Fi Pineapple is a device ostensibly sold for Wi-Fi security auditing, that can also be used to perform real attacks on your devices.

It’s not literally a pineapple (though I’m sure some enterprising hacker out there has at least attempted to house a Raspberry Pi in an actual pineapple fruit), but named because early devices resembled pineapples, with antennas sticking out at all angles much like pineapple leaves.

“Wi-Fi Pineapple” referred to a specific commercial device that automates man-in-the-middle attacks, but these attacks can also be performed with readily available off-the-shelf hardware, including laptops and single board computers.

How Do Wi-Fi Attacks Work?

There are two main types of attacks that use Wi-Fi networks: “evil twin” attacks impersonate known Wi-Fi networks, and trick your device into connecting to them, intercepting data and potentially giving remote access to your device. “Rogue AP (access point)” attacks advertise open networks in the hope that naive or internet-desperate users will connect, with the same outcomes.

Malicious Wi-Fi hotspots are set up in coffee shops, airports, and hotels in an attempt to get you to connect without any technical trickery. Often, simply naming the network something legitimate-sounding (like the name of the hotel) is enough to fool people into thinking it’s the real deal.

For individuals, the primary threat of joining a malicious Wi-Fi network is the interception and recording of the data that is transmitted: emails, social network logins, and other sensitive information (including what websites you visit) can be recorded, and even if encrypted, there’s still the possibility that they can be exploited. Devices with improperly configured firewalls may also be remotely accessed via a compromised network, putting all the data on your device at risk.

For businesses, there is an additional threat: Wi-Fi Pineapples and other malicious devices can be inserted into networks (either using an unguarded Ethernet socket, or by capturing legitimate Wi-Fi credentials and cracking them), granting the attacker unfettered access to internal company infrastructure.

How To Protect Yourself From Pineapples

The best way to protect yourself from a pineapple is to stay out of its way. Avoid public Wi-Fi if you can by tethering to your mobile phone to get online. If you do have to use public Wi-Fi, use a reputable VPN and set it up so that all internet traffic must go through it (known as a “kill switch” in some VPN interfaces). Travel routers are also great for this, allowing you to tether multiple devices or put multiple devices behind a VPN.

While an actual Wi-Fi Pineapple device may be difficult to detect, there are additional measures you can take to protect yourself from fake hotspots and man-in-the-middle attacks in general. Before you connect to a network, check for duplicates or suspicious network names, and avoid scanning QR codes to connect unless they’re in a position they’re unlikely to have been tampered with. You can also disable auto-connect for public networks you’ve joined previously so that you don’t mistakenly reconnect to an impostor.

At home, make sure you change the default Wi-Fi network and administrator passwords and set up a guest network for visitors to use. A separate IoT network for your “smart” devices can also prevent them becoming a vector for network intruders. If you notice similar network names appearing in your neighborhood, consider changing the name of your own network so you don’t accidentally connect to someone else’s.

Generally, you should always heed SSL certificate warnings and unexpected redirects that may indicate your connection has been compromised. Never log into a website or app if you see one of these warnings. If you’re on public Wi-Fi, disconnect, and if you’re at home, start taking steps to diagnose and fix the issue(or call your local tech support). If a website login screen looks different to what you’re used to, you should also be suspicious that your traffic may be being re-routed to a fake site intended to steal your details.

How Businesses Can Prevent Pineapple Attacks

If you run a business that provides Wi-Fi to staff or the public, it’s your responsibility to keep it secure. Give your IT team the time and resources they need to deploy, secure, and maintain infrastructure properly, or risk it falling out of date and being vulnerable to new attacks.

Your network should be regularly scanned for unauthorized devices and rogue Wi-Fi networks that may have been set up to trap employees or customers. If something suspicious is found, hunt down the rogue device (it might be hiding in a dusty corner under a couch in a café, for example) and remove it. Use enterprise-grade Wi-Fi hardware like Unifi that provides client isolation, management tools, and additional security features to make sure your network is under your control.

Tips for Staying Safe in a Dangerous Digital World

Antivirus and personal firewalls also play a key part in staying safe when connecting to public networks. If your device is compromised, they can help detect and block malicious software and activity so that you can secure your accounts and get your device fixed.

There’s also a laundry list of security tips and best practices you should follow to help prevent yourself becoming a victim of cybercrime. Following security advice can be inconvenient (especially when you really need to get online and you’re out of phone reception), but it’s worth it in the long run. source

WIFI Pineapple : DIY WIFI Pineapple Setup Guide

I was just poking around for new projects and stumbled upon something cool. I’ve always had my eye on the Hak5 Wi-Fi Pineapple to build up my red teaming toolkit, but I needed to stick to a budget. The Hak5 Wifi Pineapple is a powerful and versatile wireless penetration testing. It allows users to create rogue Wi-Fi networks, enabling them to intercept and analyze network traffic for security testing purposes. It could perform Evil Portal, MITM, DNS poisoning and many wireless attacks using web interface.

After some initial research, I found that the Wifi Pineapple runs on OpenWrt. Also, I found this GitHub project by Xchwarze which talks about cloning the Wifi Pineapple.

Here’s the outline of this project:

• Install OpenWrt firmware.
• Install the Pineapple firmware upgrade file.
• Set up Wifi Pineapple.

You’ll need the following essentials for this project:

1. Any compatible router with OpenWRT (I’ll be using Tp-Link Archer C7).
2. A USB drive for installing modules.
3. OpenWrt 19.07.7.
4. Wi-Fi Pineapple firmware.

With these in hand, we’re ready to proceed with the setup process! So, let’s jump right into it!

Install OpenWrt firmware:

Download the OpenWrt firmware 19.07.7 using this link. Then, navigate to your default router login page and upgrade the firmware by simply uploading the OpenWrt router firmware file.

It will take a few minutes for the router to reboot. Do not restart or power off your router during this process, as it may brick your device. Once it’s flashed with OpenWrt, it’s time to upgrade to the Pineapple firmware.

Install the Pineapple firmware upgrade file:

First, we need to download the Pineapple firmware upgrade file. Choose the appropriate router and download the firmware file from the Github repo. For my setup, I will be using the Archer C7 v4 universal file.

Connect your device using an Ethernet port and open 192.168.1.1 in your browser. Navigate to the System tab and click on the Flash Image option. Choose the Flash Image and upload the Pineapple firmware sysupgrade file you recently downloaded. Uncheck the “Keep settings and retain the current configuration” box, then click continue. Again, this process should take a couple of minutes. Just a reminder: do not restart or power off your router during this time to avoid any interruptions in the firmware upgrade.

Setup Wifi Pineapple:

Once the router restarts, connect it to the internet and browse to 172.16.42.1:1471 to setup your WIFI Pineapple. Congratulations, enjoy your newly configured Wifi Pineapple!”

Now that the Wifi Pineapple is set up, let’s proceed with installing modules to make it fully functional.

Plug the USB drive into the router and format it using the provided tool under Advanced > USB & Storage > Format SD Card. This step ensures your USB drive is ready to install the necessary modules for your Wifi Pineapple.

Simply click the Get Modules button and then click Install for the modules you would like to use. Be sure to install dependencies for each module once they are installed.

Conclusion

This is just a proof of concept to show that we can build a Wifi Pineapple on a budget, achieving similar functionality as the official one. Of course, I’d still suggest buying the Hak5 WIFI Pineapple to support the creators. I had a blast experimenting with my homemade version.

I’m thinking of getting a compatible router like Gl.iNet, which is pocket-sized and can be powered by a power bank. This could come in handy, especially when traveling with a gigantic router is a hassle. Big thanks to Xchwarze for sharing this project with the community. source

Hardware Differences: None

	Nano	AR150
CPU	Atheros9331, 400MHz SoC	Atheros9331, 400MHz SoC
Memory	DDR2 64MB	DDR2 64MB
Storage	Flash 16MB	Flash 16MB
Wireless 1	Atheros AR9331 (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n)	Atheros AR9331 (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n)
Wireless 2	Atheros AR9271 (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n)	RT5370 USB WiFi Adapter (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n)
Price	$100	$35

 

Materials Needed

Basic (Total $35):

 

• AR150 – $26 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FJ4S9JK)
• RT5370 Wifi adapter – $6 (https://www.ebay.com/itm/282647848601)
• Flash Drive (1gb and up)
• USB 2.0 Hub (NOT 3.0)
• Power adapter or external battery (CURRENT)

 

Advanced Materials:

 

• USB Hub – $4 (https://www.ebay.com/itm/173995917456)
• Soldering Iron with fine “I” tip (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GTGGLXN)
• Helping Hand (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P42O3C)
• 3D Printed Case Extension
  • Print: https://github.com/LinuxOperator/AR150-Case-Extension
  • Buy:

 

 

Flash Pineapple Firmware

Step 1:

Download the WiFi Pineapple firmware that was modified for the AR150: gl-ar150-nano-<version>-optimized.bin

Step 2:

Power on AR150 and connect a computer to the device’s LAN by one of the following:

• Connect an Ethernet cable to your computer from the “LAN” port
• Connect to its WiFi network “GL-AR150-xxx” using the password “goodlife”

Step 3:

Navigate to http://192.168.1.1 in a web browser and perform initial setup:

• Set Password (Note: this password will only be used once)

Step 4:

• From the admin panel click on “More Settings” then click “Advanced”

Step 5:

• Login with username “root” and your password created in step #2

Step 6:

• Click on “System” then on “Backup / Flash Firmware”

Step 7:

• Flash the optimized .bin file:
  • Under “Flash new firmware image” uncheck “Keep settings”
  • Choose File and select the .bin you downloaded in step 1
  • Click “Flash image”

Step 8:

• Click “Proceed”

Step 9:

• Wait about 5min for the flash to complete.
• Join the new network:
  • The device will now have a different Wifi SSID and IP address range.
  • Follow the guide bellow to connect to the pineapple over Wifi or LAN…

Step 10:

If on WiFi

• Search for a network with “pineapple” in the name, connect to it
• Change your computer’s IP address to “172.16.42.42”
• Navigate to https://172.16.42.1:1471 in your web browser
• When you see the prompt for “Secure Setup”, proceed by holding the reset button for ~5 seconds

If on Ethernet LAN

• Change your computer’s IP address to “172.16.42.42”
• Navigate to https://172.16.42.1:1471 in your web browser
• When you see the prompt for “Secure Setup”, proceed by quickly pressing the reset button (don’t hold it)

Step 11:

• Pineapple Configuration:
  • Root Password
  • Time Zone
  • other

 

Hardware Modifications

 

Step 1:

• Remove the back cover

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Step 2:

• Dissasemble the USB Hub (A screwdriver and some prying should do the trick, don’t damage the female usb ports)

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Step 3:

• Note the order of the wires, the wires should go in this order onto the AR150 board

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Step 4:

• Solder the wires with a fine soldering tip (“I” is recommended)

---

Step 5:

• 3D print the case extender using the following settings (or Buy: )
• Plastic: PLA or PETG (ABS may shrink and cause model to not fit)
• Layer Height:
• Density: %

---

Step 6:

• Insert the USB hub and hot glue it in place for added support

---

Step 7:

• Snap the pieces together making sure it is correctly aligned source

HOW TO USE YOUR WIFI PINEAPPLE

if you need a full sevice PCB manufacturer go here PCBWay

GitHub/ wifi-pineapple-cloner

by xchwarze

learn how to defend yourself below 

What is a Wi-Fi Pineapple? How to Protect Yourself From Pineapple Attacks

WiFi Pineapple Definition & Pineapple Router Uses

A WiFi Pineapple is a small piece of equipment with a silly name and a lot of power. Some people use this tool for a legitimate security purpose. Others use it for hacking.

Whether you work in security or are concerned about the safety of your own data, it pays to know what a Pineapple router is. Chances are, you’ll encounter it at least once during your lifetime.

What Is a WiFi Pineapple?

The size and shape of this device give the WiFi Pineapple its name. It’s a small, black device with several spikes. Developers thought it looked a bit like tropical fruit, so they named it accordingly.

The WiFi Pineapple was developed by Hak5, a private company. For about $100opens in a new tab, you can purchase one for yourself or your company. And you’re not required to disclose what you’d like to use it for.

Hak5 is known for creating testing tools. When the WiFi Pineapple was released in 2008opens in a new tab, most people assumed testers would find it useful and everyone else would ignore it. The reality is a bit different.

How a WiFi Pineapple Works

< Open a WiFi channel on your computer, and the device will make a connection to an available router. A WiFi Pineapple is positioned between the device and the router, and with the proper programming, it can inspect all the data as it moves from one location to another.

Setting up a WiFi Pineapple isn’t always easy. Bloggers who detail their work create posts that take up dozens of screensopens in a new tab. But when the work is done, you’ll be able to look over all the traffic moving to and from a device and a WiFi router.

The device makes use of the underlying technology in any WiFi system. When you connect to a WiFi, your device remembers the service set identifier (SSI) of that router. When you’re in the same location, your device seeks out a router with the right SSI.

A WiFi Pineapple imitates the proper SSI, and that means anyone preprogrammed to connect will link with the Pineapple router instead.

Legitimate Uses of a Pineapple Router

Computer security experts must understand how their systems work, where they are breaking, and why they might be vulnerable to an attack. A Pineapple WiFi router makes that work much easier.

During a penetration test (or pentest), experts attempt to hack a system, and they document their work for fixes and corrections. Typically, a pentest requires specialized software and operating systemsopens in a new tab. But a WiFi Pineapple makes it really easy.

A security analyst might set up a Pineapple WiFi and then:

• Look for hookups. Do people from your company attach to it automatically rather than using your authorized WiFi?
• Watch for disclosures. During a man-in-the-middle attack, a hacker watches all the data that passes between a device and a server. A WiFi Pineapple mimics this approach. How much would an attacker see?
• Seek out access. Can a hacker who sets up a man-in-the-middle attack gain further access to your system?
• Watch for alarms. Do your automated systems catch the intruder? How long does it take?

WiFi Pineapple softwareopens in a new tab makes monitoring easy. You’ll get email alerts throughout the simulated attack, and you can even tag interesting devices and follow them after they’ve been tapped by the program.

Someone using a WiFi Pineapple emerges with a significant amount of data about how the system works and what should be fixed.

Hackers Use Pineapple WiFi Too

Just as security experts can launch man-in-the-middle attacks, so can hackers. The technology works in the same way.

A hacker might take over the SSI of a well-known WiFi router, such as one located inside of a college campus. An attack might look like this:

• Select victims. Anyone who has attached to the server before is a target.
• Set up the attack. Using the WiFi Pineapple, the hacker spoofs the SSI of the intended server.
• Connect. A student comes within range of the spoofed router and connects.
• Attack. The hacker can now see everything that moves from the device to the server and back.

A quick search brings up plenty of step-by-step instructionsopens in a new tab hackers can follow to craft code. All they need are willing victims.

Unfortunately, many people are willing to connect with WiFi resources that seem free and readily available. They may push past security warnings and decline commonsense steps so they can hop online and complete their tasks.

A hacker even launched an attack like this at a conference for hackersopens in a new tab, proving that it’s almost irresistible for some people.

But some devices now come with sophisticated warning systems, and some don’t allow connections with devices that don’t seem secure or legitimate. Some hackers believe the WiFi Pineapple heyday is overopens in a new tab, as taking control is more difficult now than it once was.

But if a hacker can execute an attack like this, they can gain access to critical information, such as these:

• Social Security numbers
• Photographs
• Bank account numbers
• Passwords

Protecting Against Wireless Pineapple Attacks

Hackers are clever, and they use all sorts of tips and tricks to gain access into assets they have no business touching.

Commonsense protection steps involve:

• Avoiding public WiFi. Don’t connect to any device you don’t own. Rely on your cell service instead.
• Turning off WiFi when you leave your house. Don’t allow your device to scan for SSIDs as you move from location to location. Snap off the functionality when you’re on the go.
• Leaning on a VPN. Virtual private networksopens in a new tab (or VPNs) encrypt your data as it moves through the internet. Even if you’re connected via a WiFi Pineapple, your data will be protected.

We can help too. Contact us to learn how Okta can help keep your data and users safe from network attacks and vulnerabilities.  source

in case the youtube videos are deleted here they are