Wi-Fi virus outbreak is possible, researchers say
676793
If criminals were to target unsecured wireless routers, they could create an attack that could piggyback across thousands of Wi-Fi networks in urban areas like Chicago or New York City, according to researchers at Indiana University.The researchers estimate that a Wi-Fi attack could take over 20,000 wireless routers in New York City within a two-week period, with most of the infections occurring within the first day.&quot;The issue is that most of these routers are installed out of the box very insecurely,&quot; said Steven Myers, an assistant professor at Indiana University, who published the paper in November, along with researchers from the Institute for Scientific Interchange in Torino, Italy,The researchers theorize that attack would work by guessing administrative passwords and then instructing the routers to install new worm-like firmware, which would in turn cause the infected router to attack other devices in its range.Because there are so many closely connected Wi-Fi networks in most urban areas, the attack could hop from router to router for many miles in some cities.The team used what is known as the Susceptible Infected Removed (SIR) model to track the growth of this attack. This methodology is typically used to estimate things like influenza outbreaks, but it has also been used to predict things like computer virus infections, Myers said.Although the researchers did not develop any attack code that would be used to carry out this infection, they believe it would be possible to write code that guessed default passwords by first entering the default administrative passwords that shipped with the router, and then by trying a list of one million commonly used passwords, one after the other. They believe that 36 percent of passwords can be guessed using this technique.Even some routers that use encryption could be cracked, if they use the popular WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) algorithm, which security experts have been able to crack for years now. Routers that were encrypted using the more-secure WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) standard were considered impossible to infect, Myers said.Myers&#39; model is based on data compiled from the Wireless Geographic Logging Engine (WiGLE), a volunteer-run effort to map Wi-Fi networks around the world, which has over 10 million networks in its database.Using this data, they were able to map out large networks of made out of Wi-Fi routers that were each no more than 45 meters (49 yards) from the network -- in other words, close enough for an infection to spread. The largest such network in New York included 36,807 systems; in Boston it was 15,899; and in Chicago: 50,084.Because New York is such a dense city with a relatively low percentage (25.8 percent, according to the researchers) of encrypted routers, it was particularly susceptible to this type of attack. San Francisco, on the other hand, where 40.1 percent of routers are encrypted and which had a lower density of routers was less susceptible.Myers says that because the attack would be technically complex, he doubts that criminals will attempt it any time soon. There are simply too many other, easier ways to take over computers, he said.Still, he thinks hardware makers should take note. &quot;The bigger point for developers and people making wireless information technology is to realize that there are serious security issues.&quot;
385754
Blog: It turns out Apple's new device wasn't the culprit for wireless network outages at Duke University, as reports alleged earlier this week.
558253
WIRELESS Internet service is not only the wave of the future, but the wave of the present. Wi-Fi hot spots are everywhere, and mobile Internet devices are so numerous, it's impossible to keep track of them.
56045
The security threat posed by wireless networks has been a hot-button issue for years now. Are they still a prime target for hackers? Computerworld editors Preston Gralla and David Ramel take opposing sides on the issue.
708217
A new security threat to wireless hotspot users has been reported by UK researchers, who note that malicious hackers could use the vulnerability to obtain personal and financial information from unwitting Web surfers.
565372
(InfoWorld) - The fast growth in wireless Internet use throughout Asia leaves users vulnerable to data theft over unsecured networks and lost or stolen mobile devices, a security expert warned Tuesday. Citrix Systems Inc. Chief Security Officer Kurt Roemer said during an interview that trends in Asia suggest increasing vulnerability as time goes on because wireless use is growing much faster than fixed-line use in many countries. Japan, for example, is a global leader in developing 3G (third-generation) mobile networks and applications, which is increasing demand for smarter phones that can handle more data and computing work -- the kind that increases the likelihood of stolen data. Taiwan is another example. At one point, there were more mobile phone accounts than people on the island, and the propensity to live wirelessly has prompted the government to implement a plan to ensure wireless Internet access via Wi-Fi and WiMax networks islandwide over the next few years. And in developing countries such as China and India, there are more wireless networks going up than fixed-line networks, a danger because fixed-line networks are easier to secure. As mobile applications increase, and people use mobile networks more and more often to log onto the Internet for work and play, Roemer sees the danger of users failing to protect themselves. He reckons the smartest solution for companies and Internet service providers is to take proactive steps to protect users, and keep user tasks simple. Wi-Fi helped popularize the idea of taking a laptop to the coffee shop, or using one in an airport on wireless networks that might not be secured, while WiMax, the wireless standard to follow Wi-Fi, will likely increase such activity. Mobile telecommunications network operators are also offering more high speed Internet connection options for Internet users, such as HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access). Workers in the field trying to send data back or access sensitive company data need security they can handle without too many time consuming tasks and protocols. "The more you make your users have to think about it, the worse it gets," he said. Citrix, Fortinet, Foundry Networks, and other companies sell software that helps secure company networks no matter where a user logs on. And there are varying levels of security, depending on how much access different users need to company data, as well as for other considerations, such as complexity and cost. The dangers for IT managers are only going to grow, due to the quick expansion of wireless networks and devices worldwide, he said. Mobile devices themselves are also cause for security concern. Hard drive memory space is growing so fast that users can keep an awful lot of sensitive information on one device, he said. Losing such a machine, or having it stolen can really create problems. One way for companies to secure devices is by removing hard drives from the equation, he said. IT managers can buy thin client notebook PCs, for example, that store data on a server back at company headquarters instead of offering workers laptops with huge hard drives. Roemer suggested Neoware as one company with a strong line of thin client products.ADVERTISEMENTNEW IT SERVICES FROM IBM: EASIER TO BUY AND IMPLEMENTDiscover a simpler, more cost-effective way to get the solutions your company needs to grow more flexible and efficient.
319020
Security firms are warning about a smartphone virus that can spread much faster than similar bugs.
133095
InfoWorld - During the past two years, security experts and software vendors have downplayed the threat of so-called worm viruses, but new evidence suggests that the attacks are still as dangerous, if not more so, than ever.
579128
Hackers are close to finding a way to spread harmful computer viruses just by getting people to open an e-mail message or visiting an infected Web site, computer security experts warned yesterday. -washingtonpost.com
152751
However, there&#39;s a local company helping you keep your phone safe, NBC11&#39;s Scott Budman reported. High-tech virus fighters say they&#39;re seeing viruses targeted at so-called &quot;smart phones&quot; -- the ones with Microsoft and Symbian software on them.
80752
(InfoWorld) - Several U.K. schools have dismantled their Wi-Fi networks after parental complaints and one report of health problems. One teacher at Stowe School, a private school west of London, blamed headaches and nausea on the wireless access point installed in his classroom, said James Tearle, head of IT at the school. The access point was removed, and no one else has reported problems, he said. The teacher, who is head of classics, is a valued member of staff, Tearle said. "He is more comfortable now that we have removed the wireless from his area," he said. Stowe School has consulted the U.K.'s Health Protection Agency, but so far no abnormal problems have been found with the Wi-Fi network, Tearle said. The network remains in operation throughout the rest of the school, Tearle said. A small Wi-Fi network at The Prebendal School in Chichester, a city southwest of London, was dismantled at the request of parents, said Timothy Cannell, headmaster. The network could be restored in the future, he said. "Some parents were just concerned about the levels of radiation from wireless networking," Cannell said. "We just felt we should look further into it." In addition, the Ysgol Pantycelyn school in Carmarthenshire, Wales, also dismantled its Wi-Fi network after receiving parental complaints, according to a recent report in The Times of London. Wireless networking is seen as a low-cost way to expand Internet access. U.K. cities such as Norwich and Milton Keynes have deployed free Wi-Fi networks around their centers. But some Britons are concerned over the long-term health effects of Wi-Fi systems, which use microwave frequencies close to those of mobile phones. Studies have shown use of mobile phones can have adverse health effects, with some people experiencing headaches and discomfort, said Graham Philips, technical manager for Powerwatch.org.uk , an organization that studies electricity and microwaves. Wi-Fi transmitters, however, haven't been extensively studied, he said. "We do think there is cause for concern," Philips said. "We would recommend people donât use them." There are mitigating factors with Wi-Fi versus mobile signals. People would likely have reduced exposure to signals from Wi-Fi transmitters than a mobile phone, since Wi-Fi routers aren't pressed against their head, Philips said. Wi-Fi operators have sought to allay concerns. Norfolk Open Link, the Web site for Norwich's Wi-Fi system, said that aerials are mounted on lampposts and buildings, away from users. The site further said the power output of the Wi-Fi equipment is very low and "there is very little exposure to radio wave energy." Â
484935
InfoWorld - Researchers in the U.S. say they&#39;ve successfully shown how attackers could compromise a network designed to make it&#160;harder to trace Internet surfers&#160;and the Web sites they are viewing.
74486
Naturopaths mobilise to combat wireless death rays Recent revelations that Wi-Fi may provoke spontaneous abortions in cattle, raise storms and tempests, curdle milk and fry children's brains have had the desired effect among London's chattering classes, with panicked parents mobilising to contain the wireless menace.â¦
640018
A router software bug could lead to denial-of-service attacks--but only techies could launch one, an analyst says.
364594
As infected images plant back doors on PCs, experts see possibility of virus too.
758294
Two new versions of a computer virus that affects mobile phones were discovered Monday with new features that allow them to spread more quickly between vulnerable devices, according to antivirus company F-Secure.
375800
Analysis Prospects bright in the Wi-Fi arena