Evil Twin Wi‑Fi Hacker Jailed for Stealing Data Mid‑Flight

An Australian man who used fake “evil‑twin” Wi‑Fi networks at airports and on flights to steal travellers’ data has been jailed for 7 years and 4 months.

In April 2024, as reported by Hackread.com, staff on a commercial flight spotted a suspicious Wi‑Fi network, prompting an investigation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP). The man, identified by the media as Michael Clapsis, used a portable wireless hacking device to create “evil‑twin” Wi‑Fi hotspots, fake access points mimicking legitimate airport or airline Wi‑Fi networks.

Travellers who connected were redirected to fake login pages, where the attacker could harvest credentials for email, social media or other accounts. After officers searched his luggage and home, they found devices and records showing he had stolen login credentials and intimate photos and videos belonging to multiple people.

The day after the search warrant was executed, he deleted 1752 ...