COLUMBIA (WACH) - Security is always a major concern for anyone with a computer and now there's something else to worry about. And it's all in the hands of the average person's smartphone.
At the Defcon hacker conference last week, Israeli security firm Zimperium unveiled a new tool that puts considerable power in the hands of the mobile masses. Their new free app Anti, Android Network Toolkit, let's everyday people hack and examine wireless networks and computers around them.
WACH Fox technology correspondent Stephen Miano of That Computer Store in Irmo says the app was designed for noble purposes, but anyone with a computer needs to be on guard.
"It's like a knife. In the right hands it will help people,"says Miano. "You can cut a tin can, and you can cut a tomato paper-thin. But, it can also be used as a weapon."
Security analysts will use the technology as their own "tool box" to conduct penetration testing, a common method for testing security and vulnerabilities on corporate, campus, or other networks. They can then make the necessary upgrades to protect against security breaches. Miano plans to do the same at his store once the app is available.
Anti takes many of the hacking tools that have been available to tech insiders for years and puts them all into an app you can download for free.
"It's point and click hacking," says Miano. "So you could, with the click of a button, say, oh, well, there's a Windows computer, I want to hack that. Or there's an I-phone. I want to take it over. So it's pretty scary stuff potentially."
Miano advises consumers to make sure all of their computer or network security systems are up-to-date to stop someone from getting access to sensitive information.
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