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Wireless Network Auditor
Several people sent in notes about this:"IBM research announced that it developed a wireless security auditor running on a Compaq iPAQ with Linux. The pictures on the IBM web page are much more revealing than the press release. Apparently the auditor can handle GPS input (correlate access points with GPS coordinates?) and associate with access points on demand." The main product webpage has more information about the capabilities, and notes that IBM hasn't decided yet whether to release it as a commercial product or a free tool.
http://wireless.uconn.edu
It still surprises me how many administrators will deploy 802.11 solutions in a totally insecure fashion. They should know better but, their ignorace makes for a fun pass time.
I have setup numerous wireless LANs that are very secure, I won't say totally because as soon as I say it someone will prove me wrong.
I also have done performance testing using various security solutions. My findings demonstrated that running a 168bit IPSec VPN over wireless performed equally well to configurations using Worthless Encryption Protocol(WEP).
So, all APs go outside the firewall. IPSec brings you through the firewall. Result, full connectivity and good security.
Works for me.
That's evil, but very cool. The nice thing about apple is that you even can script it, with no extra software.
Yes, I'm still a junky. Are you still a bitch?
On the logging side:
set logFile to open for access (file myFileName) with write permission
set eof of logFile to 0
write myDataStructure to logFile
close access stateFile
Nix the eof line if you want to append rather tan overwrite. On the reading side:
set logFile to open for access (file myFileName)
set myDataStructure to read logFile as datatype
close access stateFile
Most people commonly use 'list' as the datatype since that's pretty useful, but you can coerce it into whatever you'd like.
My God, it's Full of Source!
OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
I have one and it works out.
iPaq+PCMCIA Sleeve+802.11 card. Open the panel that lets you scan and check signal strength and have fun.
--- I do not moderate.
This is already a fairly common practice, known as "war driving".
Marius Milner has written an incredible tool for Windows very similar to this called "Network Stumbler" which will scan for 802.11 networks, log them, and log the access point lattitude and longitude to disc for you.
I had my doubts about driving around being able to pick up anything without an external antenna, but here in little podunk Valdosta, GA, I managed to pick up the local university dorm network with ease.
It's groovy.
In my beta of the next version, it reports signal strength, and in the GPS version (due for release at MacHack next year) I'm actually hoping to figure out a way to draw a map of where the signal is strongest, to indicate the exact location of the Base Station.
Reality has a liberal bias
I've been looking for one of these range extenders. Do you have pictures/installation instructions you can send or post on the web?
Reality has a liberal bias
It's GPL'd, and I'm looking for lots of feedback, as this is my first real hack.
I plan to eventually add the ability to record the location of each network found, and log all the info to a file. (Anyone know how to log to a file with AppleScript?)
Reality has a liberal bias
When Ricochet was new in the DC area, I managed to run a small web server from the basement of the Department of Justice. It was from my personal laptop, not connected to the DoJ network in any way, but it *Could have been*.
Kinda scary.
I understood the risks and *really* only used the Ricochet modem to get my personal mail and files from my home PC, but it shows a lot of the possibilities of this type of unauthorized conectivity.
Cheers,
Jim in Tokyo
MMDC Mobile Media
-- My Weblog.
From the look of some posts here other people are interested in this for the same reason I am: to find public access networks in cities without carrying their laptops around.
I did a search for just such a device earlier in the week and came up blank.
Does anyone know of any other ways of finding 802.11 networks? Even without security scanning features? Can it be done with a Rat Shack frequency scanner?
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Here is my personal mirror.
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Later...
KangarooBox - We make IT simple!
Now if only IBM can port linux to Canford Audio's rackmounted fridge and develop an essential-sounding app for it ("network coolant level monitor"?) then this BOFH is made.
I've hidden the cache at this coordinates on this companies network's NT server. Feel free to take warez from the cache, but be sure to put something back in return.
New sport! I call dibs!
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Wooden armaments to battle your imaginary foes!
One of the problems associated with using 802.11b cards to connect to public internet points is the necessity of finding the access points. Last night, despite a good map, I could not find several Consume nodes in London. Perhaps this device will save me the trouble of holding my Powerbook like a baby while I walk down the street in the future.
"...What is good for General Motors is good for America." -Charles Wilson, Secretary of Defense and fmr President of GM
Maybe they failed to locate a near-by hotspot..
Suddenly they found out it could also locate "virtual" doors into my office. Damn and i though a firewall was enough, anyone making radio firewalls cuz i'm going to need them when everyone starts infecting on my "leaking" radio-waves. Like moss on a damp wall.
- love? "LAN on vulnerable environment"
It takes enough red tape and forms and variances to have a stinkin' ethernet port turned on here. Even if wireless were more secure than Ethernet, anyone that does anything network-oriented without the blessing of IT (or organizations contracted by IT) is in a heap of trouble. There's sinply no business case to justify changing from Ethernet (a proven technology) at all. Period. Even if there is, trust me, the people who make the decisions don't (can't?) see it.
(And if you ever find out where I work (which you won't), remember that my opinions are my own and not necessarily those of my employer, or my employer's IT department, etc.... People also get in a heap of trouble for not saying that, even if they're posting anonymously.)
What I'd really like to find out is exactly how many homes have wireless LANs; I'd expect there to be a lot. If you were in the mood, you could also configure this black box idea to try to find a printer, and dump a file describing the holes there.
Now, wouldn't you be motivated to fix the security holes on your network if a description of them suddenly appeared on your printer? 'Course, a description might be in order so they don't get too freaked out... :-D
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suwain_2
This is totally the wrong attitude. Look at the other posts out here - if IBM didn't do it, someone else would (and maybe has). It's far better to level the playing field by giving the admins the same tools as the crackers, my hope is that easy access to these tools forces IEEE to harden WEP. Otherwise we'll all be spraying anti-freq on the outsides of our buildings. Si.
Dear flamebait (heheh) - i agree, that's a pretty sucky interface... but then again the release says it's a prototype so hopefully that means they'll make it slick before handing it out. Can i get mine with skins, please? Reflecting, tho, i think the best tools i've gotten my hands on had the worst interfaces imaginable. In these fine days of GUI, the best tools still use naught but a command line : ) I'd be perfectly happy having a tool to check my network for holes that simply dumped the results to standard out. Si.
I work at a fairly large company, and in looking through the IT policies, I see nothing addressing employees setting up their own wireless networks. It would seem that similar to how companies have had to educate employees on the dangers of email viruses in recent times, perhaps now we also need to get the word out about how much of a security threat setting up a wireless network can be. The problem is that Bob in accounting might have enough technical know-how to get one set up so he can work in the park across the street on his laptop, but he may not be aware of how to properly secure the network to keep the "drive-by" hackers out.
Actually that's a good point. I have been wondering quite a lot about the security of wireless networks. Is it easier to intercept data on a wireless network rather than a normal one? Does anybody know about this?
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