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Definition
The WiFi Pineapple is a wireless auditing device developed by Hak5, used primarily by cybersecurity professionals and ethical hackers for penetration testing. It can mimic trusted Wi-Fi networks to trick devices into connecting, enabling the testing of security vulnerabilities like rogue access points, man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, and data interception.

Why it matters
WiFi Pineapples highlight the risks of unsecured wireless connections and are valuable tools in ethical hacking environments. They help security teams identify weak spots in wireless configurations, train staff on phishing and social engineering attacks, and improve network defense strategies.

Example use case
A cybersecurity firm uses a WiFi Pineapple during a client’s security assessment to simulate how easily an employee’s device might unknowingly connect to a fake Wi-Fi hotspot, exposing sensitive data in the process.