A man is accused of stealing passenger data through a Wi-Fi clone on an airplane

A West Australian man has been charged with using fake Wi-Fi networks to steal data from passengers on commercial flights, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said.

According to AFP, the suspect created fake Wi-Fi networks that mimicked legitimate ones to trick passengers into connecting to them. Once connected, victims were redirected to fake web pages where they were asked to enter personal information such as email and social network passwords. This data was stored on the criminal’s devices. As a result, personal data could be used for unauthorized access to user accounts, which could lead to the theft of banking data and other personal information.

The investigation began after airline staff reported a suspicious Wi-Fi network on board a domestic flight. During a search of the 42-year-old’s luggage, data collection devices were found, including a portable wireless access device, a laptop and a mobile phone. His home in Palmyra was also searched.

This case highlights the importance of vigilance when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks, especially in transport. Users are advised to use a VPN to protect their data and avoid connecting to unauthorized networks.