 bbarreraPremium,MVM
join:2000-10-23
Sacramento, CA
kudos:1
 ·SureWest Internet
| reply to obeythelaw
Re: Debunking the Myth of SSID Hiding That article is a joke as far as security advice is concerned.
The author states "Turn off SSID Broadcasts! I should not have been able to even SEE any of these networks with freely downloadable tools."
I've got kismet, a free downloadable tool, and I can see WLANs with SSID disabled. Leave WEP turned off and it is like putting an Ethernet jack out in your parking lot.
His security recommendations list disable SSID before turning on WEP, and then exaggerates that WEP can be cracked in as little as 15 minutes. I guess using 802.11 since 1998 makes him a wireless security expert.
Be suspicious of anyone dispensing advice after using the wrong tool for the job. |
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Host:
Wireless Networking
All Things Unix
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Southwest Chat
| And always be skeptical of someone who tells you the sky is falling and, coincidentally, sells Kevlar umbrellas. It's part of the consulting game to over-state the problem since it inflates the value of the proposed remedies.
Interestingly, the article is billed as the first in a series. More entertainment may be appearing any day.
I'm not bagging on you, obeythelaw  . Thanks for offering the yin to our yang. It's just a little too self-serving to be credible, I think. |
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 HawkPremium
join:2003-08-25
La Quinta, CA
1 edit | reply to fearless345
wzc said by fearless345:
I discovered that with WZC you 'eventually' have to enable SSID broadcast for it to work correctly
Not necessarily true. Works either way, your choice. Did you mean while configuring, SSID broadcasting on and then shut it off when all is working?
said by fearless345:
After much research came to the conclusion that the MS supplied Wireless Zero Configuration was the best tool (I should add not necessarily the preferred tool) to manage my wireless.
I believe Linksys documentation says their "config utilities" are for Operating Systems pre WZC ie; win 95, 98 etc. Too bad though, they look pretty cool  I could be wrong. I'll look this up Sorry I'm OT...
Edit: Hope I didn't stick my foot in my mouth again! |
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| reply to No_Strings
Re: Debunking the Myth of SSID Hiding quote:
I'm not bagging on you, obeythelaw . Thanks for offering the yin to our yang. It's just a little too self-serving to be credible, I think.
Yeah, I know I was bored and figured I'd add to the debate. |
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 AngeloThe Network GuyPremium
join:2002-06-18 | reply to DSLrgm
go read again you misunderstood parts |
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DSLrgmPremium,MVM
join:2002-08-22
Oak Park, MI | said by Angelo:
go read again you misunderstood parts
I made a number of posts to this thread, so I cannot tell what you are refering to. Please include quotes.
What part do you believe I misunderstood? |
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 AnavSarcastic Llama? Naw, Just AcerbicPremium
join:2001-07-16
Dartmouth, NS
kudos:3
1 edit | reply to kidem7
said by kidem7:
i just read that "Debunking the Myth of SSID Hiding" i dont agree with it 100%, reason being im in Research & Development my self,which we have tested it
Which research and development may that be?
ACME? beep beep 
Some excellent points there Bbarrera, NoStrings & DSLrgm. You make it very clear and straightforward, muchas gracias!!
Angelo, can you point me to some papers you have published on the subject??
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Ain't nuthin but the blues! "Albert Collins".
Leave your troubles at the door! "Pepe Peregil" De Sevilla. Just Don't Wifi without WPA, "Yul Brenner" |
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Host:
Wireless Networking
All Things Unix
Cox HSI
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Southwest Chat
| reply to DSLrgm
We've been beating this dead horse for so long that it could only be identified through DNA or dental records, but here's a link that ahuebel sent me that's apropos: »www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/wireles···dex.html
Nothing new, just small words and pictures (my kind of reading).
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Stamp out illiteracy - RTFM |
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bbarreraPremium,MVM
join:2000-10-23
Sacramento, CA
kudos:1 Reviews:
·SureWest Internet
| No_Strings, that article isn't honest journalism -- and strikes me as sensationalism because it doesn't tell the whole story. To make it newsworthy the author uses a best case scenario -- a wireless network without 'weak IV avoidance' implemented in the wireless cards and AP.
My network has 'weak IV avoidance' in the wireless gear and uses open system authentication. With same open source software as O'Reilly author it is impossible to crack WEP key. I've run 20GB over the wireless link and AirSnort and Kismet can do nothing with it. Only a brute force attack will crack the key. |
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| Excellent point, and I should have noted that. I've tried to use the methods described in the article to get into my own network and gave up after gobs of file transfers.
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Stamp out illiteracy - RTFM |
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| reply to DSLrgm
Weak IV avoidance is a good thing, but remember
1) All cards on the system must have it and
2) There are some weak IVs which will get through anyway. A more sophisticated tool like wepcrack uses those. Thus such a network may be crackable.
3) The article used 40 bit WEP. 40 bits can be brute-force cracked in a practical amount of time. |
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ShootistPremium
join:2003-02-10
Decatur, GA
kudos:3 Reviews:
·AT&T Southeast
| Aren't the last few posts a little off the topic of the thread, SSID broadcast or not. Nothing is totally secure, not your house, your car or your wireless network. If someone wants in bad enough they will get in. I have less problems connecting to my wireless network with the SSID being broadcast than I do with it not. So I'll leave it set to broadcast the SSID and implement any and all other forms of security I can.
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Are You Ready--Stand By BEEP ******** |
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 flwSecurity Is Like An Onion, It Has LayersPremium
join:2004-01-04 | reply to DSLrgm
Yes, SSID off, MAC and IP filtering just make people feel good and that's it.
Yes turn on WEP (with a secure passphrass and changing the name/channel of your AP) and you now have real, although weak protection against the script kiddies and the like.
Want stronger secuirty use WPA with preshared key for home users and Radius server with EAP on business networks.
Still not strong enough, then wait 6 months or more for the final version of 802.11i to comeout and be put into production in devices.
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"Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer" |
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DSLrgmPremium,MVM
join:2002-08-22
Oak Park, MI | said by flw:
Want stronger secuirty use WPA with preshared key for home users and Radius server with EAP on business networks.
with are strong preshared key, please.
quote:
Still not strong enough, then wait 6 months or more for the final version of 802.11i to comeout and be put into production in devices.
Techinically 802.11iD7 sponsor ballot passed, but had 700 comments (30 of them mine). So another round.
The difference between D3 (WPA) and D7 as small. Not 'better' security, but cleanup, better performance, and new security features (working, but fragile AhHoc support, and 'PMK caching').
So grab WPA now. Don't wait for the final round. |
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