| Imagine a car equipped with nothing more
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| | your SSID, but it can be guessed (such as
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| than a laptop computer, a portable GPS
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| | if you are using a default SSID),
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| receiver, and a wireless network card
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| | cloaking is pointless. Due to this,
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| slowly strolls through your neighborhood.
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| | remember to change your SSID from the
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| Unknown to any onlookers, this is no
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| | factory default. This is not a 100
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| ordinary vehicle; rather, it is a
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| | percent effective method to secure your
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| wardriving machine. As the car strolls
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| | network, but it is a good first line of
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| past homes and businesses, a wireless
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| | defense.
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| network card (available at any
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| | Change the default password. When you buy
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| electronics store for as low as $25)
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| | a router, a factory password is stored.
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| scans for any wireless access points.
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| | People experienced in working with
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| Anyone with a wireless network (and there
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| | routers know the default passwords for
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| are many out there) is vulnerable. The
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| | different routers (and the make of the
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| computer is looking for what is called an
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| | router can be seen by wardriver software
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| SSID. An SSID is your wireless network
| |
| | such as netstumbler). It is important
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| name and it is being constantly
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| | that you secure your router with a good
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| transmitted by your access point, letting
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| | password.
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| computers know of its presence. The
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| | Encrypt your wireless communication. I
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| wardriver uses software such as
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| | can't stress the importance of encrypting
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| Netstumbler (for windows) or Cismet (for
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| | your wireless communication enough.
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| linux) to scan the airwaves for SSIDs.
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| | Enable encryption and enter a key. Most
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| The program can track various access
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| | routers are only capable of WEP
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| points at once and monitor the signal
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| | encryption, but if they permit, use EAP
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| strength. These programs can also check
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| | encryption, it's more secure than WEP.
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| to see if the network is encrypted. The
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| | Like cloaking your SSID, encryption is
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| wardriver will generally configure his or
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| | not 100 percent secure. Given enough time
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| her software to log any strong
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| | and determination, if someone wants to
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| unencrypted signals. Using the GPS
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| | target you and access your network, WEP
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| receiver, the coordinates of the strong
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| | encryption can be bypassed using software
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| signal will be recorded. After this
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| | such as AirSnort.
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| preliminary drive, the wardriver can
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| | Filter the MAC addresses that are allowed
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| return to the locations that were
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| | to connect to your router. This would
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| recorded, and connect to the access
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| | require that you enter your router
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| point. Once connected to an unencrypted
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| | configuration and input the MAC address
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| network, the wardriver can use the
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| | of each wireless card you have. This will
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| victim's internet access, and can also
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| | restrict access so that only your
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| explore computers on the network. If
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| | computers can connect to the router. You
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| files are being shared within someone's
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| | will need to obtain the MAC address
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| private network, all of that information
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| | (which is the individual identification
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| is susceptible to a wardriver.
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| | address of a network card in the form a
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| Furthermore, once in the network, a
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| | 12 digit hexadecimal number). If someone
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| wardriver can sniff network traffic and
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| | sniffs traffic and detects the MAC
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| can view any information such as
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| | address of a computer wirelessly using
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| passwords and credit card numbers you
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| | your network, the wardriver could emulate
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| send out to the internet - even SSL
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| | that address and connect to the router,
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| secured data. Wireless network
| |
| | but this takes time.
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| vulnerability is a major problem, and as
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| | If you configure file sharing on your
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| more and more households purchase
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| | computers, make sure it is password
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| wireless technology, the problem of
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| | protected. You should not share files on
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| insecure networks increases. Sound scary?
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| | your networked computers unless it
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| Well this happens every day, and it
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| | requires an authenticated user to access.
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| doesn't take an expert to pull off. It
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| | Set up the same user accounts on your
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| doesn't take an expert to protect against
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| | machines so that your computers can share
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| either, however.
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| | files.
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| Steps you can take to protect against
| |
| | With these relatively simple steps,
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| wardrivers:
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| | wireless network users can secure their
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| There are a number of very simple steps
| |
| | networks from wardrivers. Wireless
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| you can take to protect your wireless
| |
| | networks are inherently insecure, and
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| network. For many of these, you will have
| |
| | these tips will merely help you greater
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| to access your router configuration
| |
| | secure your network. If someone is really
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| utility (check your manual on how to do
| |
| | determined to gain access to your
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| this, you will generally need to type an
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| | network, given enough time, a good hacker
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| IP address into your browser such as
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| | can get access. These tips will deter the
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| 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1).
| |
| | average wardriver from gaining access to
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| Don't broadcast your SSID. If you are
| |
| | your network, however. Although these
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| broadcasting your SSID, this is the first
| |
| | methods are not definite security
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| thing a program will pickup and
| |
| | measures, they will change your network
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| recognize. If you configure your router
| |
| | from being something that can be hacked
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| to not broadcast your SSID, it will be
| |
| | in a matter of seconds, to something that
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| difficult to detect (but not impossible,
| |
| | will take a determined hacker days if not
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| for some software can sniff wireless
| |
| | weeks of work, all of which will have to
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| communication, so if you are using your
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| | be done while in close proximity to your
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| wireless network, the SSID can be
| |
| | network.
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| revealed). If you are not broadcasting
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| |
|
