Security Basics: Re: Telling prospective wi-fi customers they are open to hacking

[Alvin Oga <alvin.sec () Virtual Linux-Consulting com>]

hi ya

> Unless they name their SSID the same as their company name, how will you
> know who to call on?  If you intend to maybe break into their network
> through electronic means (monitor their traffic to see who they are) then I
> would say you might cross and ethical line there.
you know their email addy if you are in their wireless network

- "monitoring them" is probably a clear case of a bad thing to do ..
        - just happen to pick them up while driving by in a moving
        car for a few seconds is a different issue ??

- when you take action based on something you were not supposed to
  see becomes a legal issue, depending on their attitude and lawyers

        - it doesn't matter that they left their doors and windows
        open and left $1M accessiblef or you in the house or car ...

        - you're in deep kaka if you touch the "valuables" or do something

- if you want to do auditing or fixing their "locks and window", than
  liability insurance and a good lawyer is worth a few bucks to pay
  to have a "get out of jail" card handy

- 50% of most wireless networks are NOT wep-enabled
        - just drive around the residential or commercial areas

        - they are even kind enough to give you, free access to the web
        and let you sniff all their confidential emails

- for those wireless that are wep or wpa enabled, you can try to
  guess their wep keys or brute force it 
        - wep is broken
        - wpa is trickier but people will tend to use simple keys
        ( "my name is wireless smith" )

- there is nothing special about ssid ... and is trivial to see

- for more wireless sniffers and crackers

        http://Linux-Wireless.org/Sniffers

c ya
alvin