Re: Wireless Disconnects

On Nov 25, 3:40 pm, LR <l...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
It doesn't matter whether it is the family name or not.http://seclists.org/bugtraq/2008/Apr/0250.html



Quote from page:
Chances are that if you own a wireless router which uses a default WEP
or WPA key, such key
can be predicted based on publicly-available information such as the
router's MAC address or SSID. In other words: it's quite likely that
the bad guys can break into your network if you're using the default
encryption key. Thanks to Kevin, our suspicion that such issue exists
on the BT Home Hub has been confirmed (keep reading for more
details!). Our advice is: *use WPA rather than WEP and change the
default encryption key now!*


Maybe I'm missing something, but this link seems to be showing how
using default security settings on your router can leave you
vulnerable.

If so, then I would say that is very much does matter whether it is
the family name or not, if not means leaving the default SSID in
place. In the sense that if you enter your name (or address or
anything else) as SSID, then you are automatically removing the clue
as to which router it is, thus helping increase security a tiny bit.

Certainly no one here would recommend leaving default passwords in
place. Not at all the same thing as we are debating.



Given that most people have a cell phone and many are equipped with wifi
it doesn't take much to look at an SSID.

Had not thought of that. Considering I'm still on the trailing edge
of cell phones, I forgot that wifi enabled phones are common. So yes,
that means they don't need to be be wardriving to see an SSID, which
was one of the first leaps of faith I was trying to make. But that's
peripheral to the argument and does not get me past the next two or
three leaps of faith! It cetainly does not imply that they will be
able to determine passphrase length though, even if that WAS
correlated to household contents value as proposed.


Many people do not change their SSID where I live and over 50% of them
are prefixed "Sky--". In the UK we have started the transition to
digital TV and a number of people have the Sky HD option
<http://packages.sky.com/see/EquipmentSkyHD.aspx>
"Due to high demand for Sky+HD boxes, existing Sky TV customers may have
to wait up to 9 weeks to be installed."

One of the other odd things is that the majority do not run their
routers 24/7 but switch them off when no-one is in the house.This I
would consider more of a risk as they are indicating no-one is at home
when their SSID is not present.


Important observations all, but still making a case for another issue
entirely. You are providing supporting info for the common advice
given here and elsewhere:

Be sure to change your router's default settings: SSID, wifi WPA
security passphrase, router username and PW Taking those simple
steps will avoid all above mentioned scenarios

As far as turning one's router on and off, ok, sure, whatever. Don't
turn it off- maybe it will help trick people who are casing hour house
into thinking you are home if they are doing a wifi based casing
rather than simply watching you.

Again, another argument for another issue.


I would have appreciated the name and address approach a few years ago
as I wouldn't have had windows smashed in place of my neighbour.



Don't understand this one. Are you saying that you believe that your
windows were smashed in due to your SSID having your name and
address?


Cheers,
Steve
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Mended!
    ... WiFi things that you have Connected to it support WPA) & if they ... WPA- psk 128bit WEP 64bit WEP WPA ... Have you looked in the Manual (on the CD that came with the Router, ... Security Encryption that WiFi uses, but it's not as good as WPA ...
    (uk.people.silversurfers)
  • Re: Mended!
    ... WiFi things that you have Connected to it support WPA) & if they ... WPA- psk 128bit WEP 64bit WEP WPA ... Have you looked in the Manual (on the CD that came with the Router, ... Security Encryption that WiFi uses, but it's not as good as WPA ...
    (uk.people.silversurfers)
  • Re: Hiding the SSID ??
    ... I decided to hide my SSID from being broadcast but then when I ... rebooted I could not connect - Vista could not see my router. ... I can then change the channel back to original ... something to be said about using wifi in poured concrete houses. ...
    (uk.telecom.broadband)
  • Re: pulling hair out !!!!
    ... >>I have a Genius gw-7200p wireless cardbus and a mentor wireless access ... >>wlg ap uk rigged up to the router. ... > sense) WiFi has caused me the most frustration. ... > I wonder if the different WEP WPA settings are in HEX or ASCII? ...
    (uk.telecom.broadband)
  • Re: Undetectable APs
    ... If you're seriously worried about attacks via wireless, ... that can be done to an encrypted access point or router, ... little to a wireless client adapter. ... Most modern AP's have a feature where they don't broadcast their SSID ...
    (alt.internet.wireless)