Security A to Z: Wi-Fi
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For all Wi-Fi has done to bring people online, it's also opened them up to potential risk.
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Software update patches bug in wireless drivers that left systems vulnerable.
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(InfoWorld) - The biggest threat to your personal and professional security may be the information that your computer is already transmitting to the world around you. Data leakage might be a hot topic, given the list of high-profile incidents reported by businesses such as TJX Companies -- through which reams of detailed consumer records have been exposed -- but most people are already broadcasting enough information from their laptops to allow hackers to aim targeted attacks at their devices and corporate networks, according to security researchers. In a presentation at the ongoing Black Hat DC 2007 conference being held in Washington, DC, from Feb. 28 to Mar. 1, experts with Atlanta-based services provider Errata Security outlined a trend they've labeled as "data seepage." The concept is based on the idea that people using Wi-Fi systems to connect their computers to the Web in public settings such as airport lounges or coffee shops are handing out enough personal clues to give attackers plenty of ammunition to make them the target of their malware or hacks. Using a software application they have designed dubbed Ferret, Errata chief executive Robert Graham and chief technology officer Dave Maynor demonstrated how easy it is to intercept seemingly innocuous information from people's devices as they connect to the Internet. They can then take that data to create a detailed profile of the individual, their Web usage, and even their employers' IT networks. During the course of their presentation, the security experts were even able to use Ferret to intercept an e-mail sent to a reporter working in another conference session that included one of her applications' passwords. Whenever a user connects to the Web via Wi-Fi, or even if their laptop's wireless systems are merely left turned on, someone using such a so-called sniffing tool can garner data about where the user has traveled, what type of operating system or applications they use, and who they may work for, Graham said. For instance, the expert said that while sitting in airlines' business customer lounges it's not hard to look at details offered up freely by the machines of other travelers using Wi-Fi. In doing so, Ferret can detect what hotspots the person has been through, giving an idea of their physical location; determine what e-mail servers or IM systems they attempt to access, lending an idea of their software and potentially their employer; and even scoop their IM contacts to determine who they communicate with. "With seepage, we're talking about the distribution information that you actually mean to broadcast but which hackers can take and exploit for their own needs," Graham said. "All you have to do is turn on your computer and we can tell a lot about you." For instance, computers made by Apple offer up details of what operating system someone is using when they turn their machines on or access Wi-Fi. If captured by a hacker, this could allow them to target specific malware attacks at the individual based on any known vulnerabilities in their version of the OS. In addition to data related to Web connectivity or operating systems, such tools can be used to detect what types of anti-virus applications users are running when the software programs attempt to automatically download updates. With the wide number of known vulnerabilities existing in anti-virus programs, a hacker could easily take that information and use it to craft a targeted attack, the experts said. The tools can even be used to garner similar data from smartphones and other data-centric handhelds, according to the researchers. The experts contend that when the U.S. government was piecing together information about suspected terrorists after the Sept. 11 attacks, investigators likely relied on the same types of data to figure out where various people had traveled, who they communicated with, and what they might have been looking at on the Internet. Consumers may be upset about retailers who collect and expose sensitive information or unchecked government wiretaps, but they are unknowingly handing over a range of data that could be used to track their movements, steal their money, or penetrate their employers' networks. "Just by going to a lounge in an airport with a sniffer like this, you can easily develop a profile that can be used to exploit any weaknesses," Graham said. "You can move from [intercepting] a low-level MAC address to capturing high-level information in a very short amount of time." To help people understand just how much information can be gathered using sniffers like Ferret, Errata is posting the source code for the tool on its Web site so that developers can try it for themselves. The best advice that the security experts offered to end-users to protect themselves is to use personal firewalls and VPNs to cloak as much of their information and activity as possible. "It's not single pieces of information that we're warning about, it's the collection of pieces of data that offer detailed information about who you are," Maynor said. "If the government were collecting this information people would be up in arms, but as it is, they are already giving it away without a second thought."
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(Source: Fluke Networks)  An unauthorized, rogue access point can compromise the security of a wireless network by exposing the companys network to the outside world. To remove this security vulnerability, the network manager must first detect the presence of a rogue AP on his network and then locate it.  The two most common search methods to find the physical location of a rogue AP are the convergence method and the vector method. Each method has its advantages and each requires different tools. An understanding of these methods will assist the network manager in his task of keeping his wireless network secure.
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This article is the first of a two-part series that looks at the new generation of WEP cracking tools for WiFi networks, which offer dramatically faster speeds for penetration testers over the previous generation of tools. In many cases, a WEP key can be determined in seconds or minutes.
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Prepares to enter broadband era with Wi-Fi adaptor
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Investor's Business Daily - A special, previously classified window film that keeps hackers out is available to the public, manufacturer CPFilms said. The 2-millimeter-thick clear film blocks Wi-Fi and cellular signals. It reduces Wi-Fi signal leakage through windows, the company said. The film is in use in more than 200 U.S. government buildings. Some government officials use the film at their homes, the company said. The LLumar Signal Defense Security Film uses a combination of metal and metal-oxide layers.
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Here are some of the technologies that power devices to control everything from home entertainment to security:
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New software securely adds devices to wireless networks with the push of a button.
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Tired of new wireless technologies? Then stop reading. Because here's a story about a new wireless system that could someday eclipse the Wi-Fi service you've just begun to understand.
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LIVE WEBCAST(Source: Identity Engines) Please join Computerworld, Aberdeen Group, Identity Engines, and Meru Networks as they share the latest research findings on WLAN security, including the effectiveness of alternative security approaches and best practices for protecting your wireless investment, including the high performance 802.11n.
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The Radicati Group pegs the penetration of Wi-Fi in the enterprise at 50 percent by 2008. Cut that number in half and itâs still huge. So now that Wi-Fi is becoming a standard part of enterprise infrastructure, itâs time to get serious about security and management.
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Ten products to sport Wi-Fi Multimedia brand next week
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Ability to change the settings of poorly configured home routers could put home networks at risk of serious attack.
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After a warning from a government watchdog group, schools and families in Britain are scrambling to remove Wi-Fi systems.   In April, a chief health watchdog official called for a timely review of Wi-Fi technology and its possible radiation effects, the Independent on Sunday reported.
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Can Wi-Fi signals make you ill? Newshounds pore over the available literature, but miss something interesting about the claims
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Trying to match the convenience and efficiency of the office while on the road is an ongoing battle for business travelers. The explosion in wireless Internet connectivity in recent years has been a huge boost to productivity. Wi-Fi hot spots are just about everywhere.