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06/18/2005 01:04:34 PM · #1 |
This has nothing to do with photography, but I believe it needs to be mentioned...
My aunt brought up her laptop this weekend with some wireless capabilities, so naturally, I sat down and played around with it...
Within less than a minute, I was on someone else’s HARDRIVE!
In about three more minutes I guessed login to his router! (Hint, his password was password)
For those of you who do not know, through his router I have control of his internet. I can view the log files of what he has already seen (who looks at porn @ 1 in the afternoon?) and can even lock him out of the internet entirely...
I stopped after I got this far because I am a nice person, and was only curious...BUT PLEASE, you wireless users, use some encryption or something, or at least put a real password (letters and numbers) to protect yourself!
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06/18/2005 01:07:48 PM · #2 |
| I actualy use Wifi between my camera and receiving laptop and due to a software weakness I have to leave my router fully exposed....and I have to allow hardrive sharing in order for the files to record... nedless to say that it's always a scary moment! But I do remove all sharing immediatly after each session. |
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06/18/2005 01:11:29 PM · #3 |
Originally posted by Gil P:
I actualy use Wifi between my camera and receiving laptop and due to a software weakness I have to leave my router fully exposed....and I have to allow hardrive sharing in order for the files to record... nedless to say that it's always a scary moment! But I do remove all sharing immediatly after each session. |
Wow! can you encrypt the connection?
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06/18/2005 01:18:02 PM · #4 |
Originally posted by maxj:
Originally posted by Gil P:
I actualy use Wifi between my camera and receiving laptop and due to a software weakness I have to leave my router fully exposed....and I have to allow hardrive sharing in order for the files to record... nedless to say that it's always a scary moment! But I do remove all sharing immediatly after each session. |
Wow! can you encrypt the connection? |
It's supposed to be done automatically but there is a bug between the transmitter/receiver combo and the software... I'm told the update is coming soon. I don't thing Canon is selling to many wifi kits so there does not seem to be any hurry... |
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06/18/2005 01:20:16 PM · #5 |
Ours here has some longgggg 15-20 number and letter code... Around my campus in some appartments/townhouses, you can get 4-5 signals that are totally open to public access...
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06/18/2005 01:26:12 PM · #6 |
| I just set up a wireless connection and have it encrypted. However, I think my dad has an open signal from his router. I think I'll have to check on that. |
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06/18/2005 02:00:26 PM · #7 |
I'm curious - did you take the time to tell the neighbor about their open network and perhaps help them fix it?
You clearly know enough to help them secure their network. There's nothing wrong with noticing their network is open. Browsing their hard drive and router is, in opinion, crossing the line between curious and helpful and being a bit michievious.
Just because you know HOW to do it, doesn't mean you SHOULD, nor does it make it right.
If you are uncomfortable / unwilling to assist them, you can always attach their printer and leave them a note. That would get their attention enough to get them to take access. |
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06/18/2005 02:45:18 PM · #8 |
another effective form of protection is to create a MAC address allow-list.
Basically each laptop, wireless PDA, printer, etc, has a unique MAC address full of numbers and letters. With that, you can specify to the router to ONLY let on specific MAC addresses.
No WEP key or password required. The router just knows whether to let the user have access or not based on that preset MAC address.
Message edited by author 2005-06-18 14:46:14. |
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06/18/2005 03:17:15 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by northrop3:
I'm curious - did you take the time to tell the neighbor about their open network and perhaps help them fix it?
You clearly know enough to help them secure their network. There's nothing wrong with noticing their network is open. Browsing their hard drive and router is, in opinion, crossing the line between curious and helpful and being a bit michievious.
Just because you know HOW to do it, doesn't mean you SHOULD, nor does it make it right.
If you are uncomfortable / unwilling to assist them, you can always attach their printer and leave them a note. That would get their attention enough to get them to take access. |
didnt have access to their printer, only to shared drives. I only know the IP address of the person, not thier name, address, etc. Of course I would let them know, but i do not know who it was.
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06/18/2005 04:06:23 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by crank2o:
another effective form of protection is to create a MAC address allow-list. |
MAC addresses can be easily spoofed. All you need is a program that can passively monitor a wireless link and you can determine what MAC addresses are "in the vicinity", then configure a wireless interface to use said MAC address and "you're in". Also, even if a wireless access point is encrypted with WEP, a program like AirSnort (free) can determine the encryption key for you in less than a second after it has accumulated enough packets (thanks to numerous weaknesses in the Wired Equivalent Protocol).
Your best bet is to enable WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) on your wireless router...
Message edited by author 2005-06-18 16:08:27.
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06/18/2005 05:19:32 PM · #11 |
Go to their desktop and create a txt document with instructions/links to pages with instructions on how to set up a proper encryption to the WiFi system.
That ought to get their attention.
Message edited by author 2005-06-18 17:20:15. |
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06/18/2005 06:08:07 PM · #12 |
If somebody left their house unlocked would it be okay to walk in and start looking through their drawers?
You have already broken the law (Unauthorised access to a network, bypassing a security measure, etc), I would be somewhat careful about telling the 'victim' about it. Creating a file on their desktop (in lawyer speak 'tampering with their personal data') will leave you wide open to trouble.
Just a friendly heads-up.
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06/18/2005 06:50:30 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by bod:
If somebody left their house unlocked would it be okay to walk in and start looking through their drawers?
You have already broken the law (Unauthorised access to a network, bypassing a security measure, etc), I would be somewhat careful about telling the 'victim' about it. Creating a file on their desktop (in lawyer speak 'tampering with their personal data') will leave you wide open to trouble.
Just a friendly heads-up. |
I was actually wondering about this...
Is it unlawful? It is in effect a public network...or is it? I really didn’t know, that’s why I got off it. I was very surprised that I got on it without the touch of a button (window logged onto the wireless network automatically). Technically, I have no idea if this was someone’s personal network, there were no markers, no logins (only the login for the router), this could have been a genuine public Wi-Fi access point.
I only assume that it is private because there are no public access point out in the country, but how else would I know if it was public or private.
...anyway, this is off the track of my original intent, which was to give a friendly warning that wireless networks are inherently unsafe and that those who use them should be weary (remember also, that he could have had full acces to my computer while on was on his network).
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06/18/2005 07:16:29 PM · #14 |
I don't have a laptop and everything at my home and business are hardwired, so I'm not an expert... But anyway, I stopped off to visit briefly with a client yesterday on my way home. He had some sort of antenna on his desk and I asked what it was. He said he uses it to tie into the wireless internet of the business next door.
He said it's so reliable that he doesnt even have an internet connection, and the neighbor is none the wiser.
Needless to say I was totally amazed. |
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06/18/2005 07:38:34 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by photodude:
I don't have a laptop and everything at my home and business are hardwired, so I'm not an expert... But anyway, I stopped off to visit briefly with a client yesterday on my way home. He had some sort of antenna on his desk and I asked what it was. He said he uses it to tie into the wireless internet of the business next door.
He said it's so reliable that he doesnt even have an internet connection, and the neighbor is none the wiser.
Needless to say I was totally amazed. |
Most users don't even realize that their wireless connection needs to be secured. Verizon and other wireless companies should inform end users. Currently, only those "in the know" realize that security is necessary. In this age of identity theft, the issue needs to be addressed soon and I hope these companies will put something in place.
Currently, I have my wireless functionality completely turned off.... If you're not using your router for wireless connections, this is the best security option. |
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06/18/2005 08:41:13 PM · #16 |
If you really want a reality check... go to Wigle (Wireless Geograpical Locating Engine) enter you address and check out all the WAPs in your area... This is not the site I wanted to show... I used to have a less honor able one in favs that would give SSIDs etc...
Taken from the Wargames movie from a long time ago War Dialing was where a modems would call every number in the country until a modem answered on the other end. Well Wardriving is the latest craze (I've seen em as young as eleven years old doing it) where people with laptops with high power antennas their WiFi card and a GPS drive around cities and log all access points they find in a database such as the above at Wigle.
It is imparetive that we all secure our WAPs...
I put a wireless bridge on my xBox and was so excited about getting it up and running that I failed to change the SSID (to mine) and Log my MAC at the Internet Gateway. The Bridge came up and worked, but it wasn't till six months later that I realized I was actually riding on the neighbors broadband cable connection.
I told them, offered to secure it for them, they were too busy or too smart so I didn't do anything for them. I notice that it is still open a year later. I also notice new piece of ethernet (cat5) strung between two houses behind us, I'm just wondering if that guy isn't sell Broadband to the guy next to him curtosy of the peeps who won't lock their network down... Hmmmm
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06/18/2005 08:41:19 PM · #17 |
Changing the default password is the most important step. It's also a good idea to change the device name from the standard name as well.
IMO, WPA is the better consumer level encription available but WEP is better than nothing and is more commonly available on common hardware! Make sure you pick at least a 128 bit key (64 is better than nothing but higher is better) and make it very random - Here is a site that can generate them for you Key Generator.
I also add the MAC filter - Yeah I know it's easy to get around but it's another layer that makes getting access more of a hassle for somebody.
If you are running 802.11B/G then I suggest once things are working to stop the identification transmit of the access point (or router). This means that windows by default will not see it - most utilities can but again it's another level of protection.
In the end you only have to make it harder and more time consuming then a few of your neighbours :-) |
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06/18/2005 08:48:27 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by robs:
Changing the default password is the most important step. It's also a good idea to change the device name from the standard name as well.
IMO, WPA is the better consumer level encription available but WEP is better than nothing and is more commonly available on common hardware! Make sure you pick at least a 128 bit key (64 is better than nothing but higher is better) and make it very random - Here is a site that can generate them for you Key Generator.
I also add the MAC filter - Yeah I know it's easy to get around but it's another layer that makes getting access more of a hassle for somebody.
If you are running 802.11B/G then I suggest once things are working to stop the identification transmit of the access point (or router). This means that windows by default will not see it - most utilities can but again it's another level of protection.
In the end you only have to make it harder and more time consuming then a few of your neighbours :-) |
Yuppers on the WEP it will slow them down... I like EAP/PEAP myself... also note that anyone can download the 2 Part article (from a well know hardware site) on cracking WEP.
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06/18/2005 09:26:41 PM · #19 |
Disable SSID and enable MAC adress.
If you disable SSID and enable MAC adress you are not detectable.
So try to spoofed MAC.
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06/18/2005 10:35:40 PM · #20 |
I keep mine open, but every http request delivers either the goatse guy or tubgirl. (If you don't know who these are, you don't want to know!
(No, really))
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06/18/2005 10:41:16 PM · #21 |
Originally posted by jonr:
I keep mine open, but every http request delivers either the goatse guy or tubgirl. (If you don't know who these are, you don't want to know!
(No, really)) |
you mean this? |
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