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The FBI's handy tips for Wireless Security

This article discusses some techniques the FBI use to break into WEP networks. Everyone talks about how easy WEP is to break into, and by and large that seems pretty true as long as you're a linux person and happen to own a Wireless card which is compatiable with the WEP tools. If not, you're out of luck. At the end of the article the FBI give out a few tips on securing your wireless network, and this is along them:

5) Turn off the WLAN when not in use - A $5 lamp timer from your local hardware store is a simple, but effective way to keep your WLAN or LAN from harm while you're sleeping.

Interesting, as I've some access points revert to their default settings on occasion after a power cycle, which would mean no encryption, default SSID, default admin password, and so on. Nice. This is one tip from the FBI I wont be following (although come to think of it, I can't think of many tips from the FBI that I *do* follow).

Finally, I upgraded the Firmware on my access point this evening. It was a bit overdue actually. The old version of the Firmware seemed to have a rather flawed implementation of WPA (ie, it wouldn't work), and to top things off when you had WPA enabled, the access point would show it's "THIS NETWORK IS NOT ENCRYPTED" message in the admin pages. Worrying. Even more worrying was this little snippet from the patch notes:

  • Unauthenticated users can obtain sensitive admin Information by accessing hidden pages on the Web interface.
  • Nice web interface there!

      Print | posted on Monday, September 26, 2005 10:09 PM





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    Merauderweb is the personal website of a New Zealand based web developer and technologist, covering whatever interests or amuses him. Subjects include online gaming, music, gadgets/technology, ASP.NET, Web Development, JavaScript, jQuery, IBM Lotus Notes/Domino and are presented in a linkblog/tumble style.

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