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can viruses be spread if use same wifi for streaming and busoness

  • 12-04-2017 07:03PM
    #1
    seefin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,079 ✭✭✭


    Stream on Android box using wifi hotspot on my mobile. Use same hotspot for working at home on my laptop. Can viruses etc jump from Android box to mobile and from there to my laptop ?? Should I have a seperate mobile phone for streaming and swap sim to minimize risk?


Comments

  • #2
    Rgb.ie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 121 ✭✭Rgb.ie


    In theory, yes.

    Sample scenario - android box is exploited, attacker is now on your network ( wifi hotspot ).

    From there, an attack can be launched on all local devices connected to the hotspot ( laptop ) and could result in the laptop being compromised.


  • #3
    seefin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,079 ✭✭✭seefin


    Rgb.ie wrote:
    From there, an attack can be launched on all local devices connected to the hotspot ( laptop ) and could result in the laptop being compromised.

    Rgb.ie wrote:
    Sample scenario - android box is exploited, attacker is now on your network ( wifi hotspot ).

    Sorry, I'm clueless re all this. If I swap the sim from one mobile to another, would that mitigate risk? So when sim in in mobile 1, then I stream movies etc f using that mobile as a hotspot. When I'm working, I transfer sim to mobile no 2. Surely attacks jump over devices, and can't be associated with a sim?


  • #4
    bonzodog2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,353 ✭✭✭bonzodog2


    If your android device was compromised, changing SIM wouldn't change that.


  • #5
    biko
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 81,060 ✭✭✭✭biko


    SIM has nothing to do with it.
    All devices on the wifi network have IP addresses. The assumed virus would try to scan and find other IP devices on the network and then send commands to them.

    A phone will not understand commands from a PC virus (different operating systems) so it's unlikely that a virus will jump from one device to another unless they are the same OS.

    Up-to-date virus scanners and general caution should be enough imo.


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