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.

Comments

What about on a Ship?

[Anonymous Coward]

http://wireless.uconn.edu

Amazing

[Anonymous Coward]

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.

Network Stumbler

[Some guy named Chris]

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.

• Network StumblerHomepage
• Google Search for Network Stumbler
• Personal Telco Page about Network Stumbler

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.

Scanning for wireless networks

[CokeBear]

Since I installed an AirPort Card in my iBook, I've been having fun driving around in big cities scanning for 802.11 networks. I even wrote a little AppleScript to help me. It uses Apple's speech manager to report when it finds a wireless network, allowing you to keep your eyes on the road if you're driving. I already found a few networks with very poor security, and have even sat in a parking lot, surfing off a corporate network. Download my AppleScript from http://homepage.mac.com/djfox/

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?)

Geocaching...

[don_carnage]

Now if we could only combine this with Geocaching...

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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Useful for finding public access points

[cameronk]

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.

Re:Are there IT policies yet?

[imadork]

I work in a fairly large company as well, and I see plenty of things prohibiting employees from doing ANYTHING with the corporate network, wireless or not.
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.)

Are there IT policies yet?

[krugdm]

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.