A few wireless security questions

WEP encryption is hackable. If your hardware supports it, use WPA instead. Stronger, better.

Bill Crocker

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Bill Crocker
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Facts:

Making use of wireless network WEP KEY 128 bits Shared authentication ACTIVE

Question:

Is my network traffic allways secured in the following case:

Closeby to my secured network there is also an not secured network. My comp is connecting to my secured network as it should be but the advanced wireless settings on my comp.Network Access were set as: Any availalable network & Automatically connect to network was ON

I know how to change this but is it possible while i have surfing on my own secured network that I also have been connected to the Non secured network closeby because of the settings above and that they could hack the trafic however I had the WEP KEY shared authothentication active?

Thanks

Reply to
sec001

As I understand it, you are asking if you could have been connected to BOTH networks concurrently. If that's what you're asking, the answer is no. Your client - your PC - only connects to one network at a time.

However, it's entirely possible that you sometimes connect to the unsecured network instead of your own. The client will connect to the network with the strongest signal. Normally, that should be yours, but you have no guarantee. You should configure your router with a unique SSID, and configure the client to connect only to that SSID - or else configure it to require manual connection. The only way you will know you are connected to the wrong net is if to check that the active connection has your SSID, on the channel you configured for it, with WEP enabled (or else, try to connect to the router's admin page and verify that it's your router).

I recommend against the shared authentication option. It adds no value, and provides potential hackers with a little extra information they can use to try to break your key. With WEP, it's essential to use the longest keylength supported. I use 152 bits, but 128 is the max for many vendors. 64 bits is worthless, and can be hacked by brute force. If you use WEP, you should change the key frequently - the heavier the network traffic flow, the more often the key change. For most people just surfing the net, every week or so is probably more than adequate.

WPA is definitely more secure than WEP. But the statistical attacks on WEP are less effective with newer firmware. IMO, WEP is still adequate for most home users, if you use long keys, change them often, and put up a wifi firewall. Never send personal data - credit card numbers, etc. - in the clear. Be sure you're in an encrypted VPN or an https web page to provide an extra layer of security.

Reply to
gary

Gary .... Thanks a lot for your reply. I have to add something to my previous question:

I found out that I have next to my default wireless card also a 2nd wireless connection on the mother board (maybe active). So I have 2 wireless connection points in the comp ansd I was not aware of the the 2nd one. The first wireless connection has Wep encryption active and is connected to my privat secured network The 2nd connection (wireless on the motherboard) has no web encryption and the Network Access settings are set as: " Any availalable network & Automatically connect to network was ON "

Question:

Is het possible that the 2nd card is connected to another not secured network closeby and sends also the same network traffic as my first default wireless card is sending over mine secured network (without me being aware of that)?

In other words: If two network cards are active , one secured over my pricvat network and the 2nd over another network: is he using both networks to communicate with internet? Can the not secured network read my trafic?

Thanks .. I hope that I made myself clear ;-)

Reply to
sec001

If you have two wifi client adapters, you could be connecting to two wifi networks. If your second adapter is automatically connecting to somebody else's net, and both networks are connected to an ISP, then you could be exchanging internet traffic over a stranger's net without knowing it. When you connect, a route is set in your host. When you connect to multiple nets, multiple routes are set. If the routes have equal priority (default), then whichever net you connected to most recently might be your active net.

If you are not using the second adapter, configure it so that it will not connect to any network.You should be able to click on the connection icon and select the disable button. For extra security, assign a random WEP key to it. If it ever becomes accidentally re-enabled, it will not connect to any AP that doesn't have the key.

Reply to
gary

Thanks Gary ......

Reply to
sec001

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