We often take for granted just how ubiquitous Wi-Fi has become over the past two decades, explains Northeastern University electrical and computer engineering professor Francesco Restuccia, who is also a member of the Institute for the Wireless Internet of Things.
Wi-Fi provides wireless connectivity to more than 20 billion devices around the globe, including smartphones, laptops, game consoles, and smart TVs. And for most people, Wi-Fi works so smoothly it almost feels magical.
"It's one of the most pervasive technologies ever invented by mankind," Restuccia says. "We seamlessly utilize Wi-Fi every day without even knowing we are. It's so pervasive that it has basically disappeared into our lives."
Restuccia is one of several authors of new research that will be presented in May at the IEEE International Conference on Computer Communications (INFOCOM).The research uncovers a significant vulnerability in a wireless technology found in nearly every Wi-Fi system.