Re: (In)security of wireless LANs and the Cisco Wireless Security Sui te

["R. DuFresne" <dufresne () sysinfo com>]

On Tue, 4 Nov 2003, John Adams wrote:

> On Tue, 4 Nov 2003, R. DuFresne wrote:
>
> > to be on premisses to use, if the AP's are properly tuned so as to not
> > braodcast outside the building perimiters <and this means walking the
> > grounds with a wireless sniffer to ensure> then your risks are again
> > reduced.
>
> There are a limited number of wireless cards that can have their output 
> power reduced (tuned, as you say) but that will never ensure any form of 
> protection against a determined attacker. 
>
> While your wireless -card- may not be able to see the airport, someone who
> really wants in to your network can drive across the street, set up a
> 24dbI (or greater) directional antenna on a tripod, aimed squarely at your
> AP, and they'll see your network. 
Understood, yet, it was, and I maybe mistaken here, suggested in a number
of AP offerings I've looked at recently that AP's were now being able to
'tune' their signals.  In addition to proper location of said equipment as
well as other intervening obstructions along the pathways <i.e. walls,
metal, micro wave devices, etc>.


Of course, I would not rely upon this for total security, course, I'd
certainly not trust a wireless device in a critical situation security
wise either.  It's my real impression no matter what one does, too much
information still leaks and makes attacks that much more a possibility.
Other do feel wireless is ready for primetime, this is *not* my
impresssion.

Thanks,

Ron DuFresne
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