Security Question (Wireless)

Happy to be corrected. Out of interest, what're they typically used for? I'd guess low-grade intrasite comms, but for all I know they're used to guide lazer bombs or something :-) Mark McIntyre

The NSA has been a client of mine. And you?

Only if all of the OS stack is replaced with secure code.

Not yet.

The discussion is about secure wireless, not about OS patching/integrity etc.

If the wireless is secure, then the discussion about the integrity of the OS is moot at this point since the wireless adaptor is not an entry point. Please don't try to muddy the issue, this didn't start as discussion on general security otherwise you'd be throwing in hardened buildings, security guards etc. it was about securing the wiress adaptor and nothing else.

I can secure the wireless adaptor such that the NSA/military/banks/gaming industries/hospitals etc. are satisfied. Securing the rest of the OS is not my problem!

Then I give up because you just don't ever want to see it any other way but that's fine.

David.

Wireless is implemented in an OS stack.

I respectfully disagree.

In the case of the NSA, only if you secure the entire hardware and OS to NSA standards.

Adding those to the discussion isn't an attempt to "muddy the issue"? ;)

So you assert. Proof?

Its quite possible I work for them. My level of proof is similar to yours. Mark McIntyre

Really, Gosh. I thought that aerial thingy and the chips and firmware in the adaptor actually did something. I never realised one could implement wireless entirely in software. :-)

As you know, this is disingenuous. The entire installation needs to be hardened for the package to be acceptable. That does NOT mean you cannot define a standard to harden components of it to. Mark McIntyre

The NSA must have accountants and janitors, too. Having the NSA as a client hardly says anything about ones credentials.

Impossible to do that (as I'm sure you know).

Do you or don't you?

Such is Usenet.

I didn't say that (as I'm sure you know).

It's actually simple fact.

Yep.

Meaningless when the entire package isn't hardened.

Like I said, I can secure the wireless adaptor, what is done to the rest of the OS is not my problem.

Assume that's done, not my problem, I can secure the wireless adaptor to their satisfaction!

Whatever, I can secure the wireless adaptor so that it's not an entry point.

David.

Precisely! I can secure the wireless adaptor (i'm getting bored of saying that now :)), that doesn't mean it's my job to deal with every other bit of the machine.

At least someone has a clue.

David.

You people are going nuts here, NSA?!? This is a newsgroup about wireless internet. 90% of the questions are about home networks, bin Laden sneaky devil that he is, is mindnumbingly unlikely to want to hack into yours nor your neigbor's home network to spy on the kids downloading internet p0rn. Get a grip here.

fundamentalism, fundamentally wrong.

True but not all, this thread was concerning a work wireless network. They can be secured too, clients also, my point was that the same stuff tested by NSA can be deployed commercially.

David.