Australian man jailed for 7+ years over airport and in-flight Wi-Fi attacks

Australian Michael Clapsis was jailed for seven years and four months in relation to Wi‑Fi attacks at airports and on domestic flights, during which he stole sensitive information and private images, according to the Australian Federal Police (AFP). The court heard he created “evil twin” Wi‑Fi networks to lure users into entering credentials on fake pages, and investigators found hundreds of personal credentials and fraudulent Wi‑Fi pages on seized devices.

He faced multiple charges including unauthorized impairment of electronic communication, possession or control of data to commit a serious offence, and unauthorized access or modification of restricted data, with a maximum potential sentence of 23 years if convicted. The AFP said the searches uncovered a portable wireless access device, a laptop and a mobile phone at Perth Airport, with a second search warrant in May 2024 leading to his arrest and charges. ABC reported the judge described the proceedings as “systemic” offending over several years, and he will be eligible for parole in 2030.