WiFi Triangulation

mikegroovy writes "WiFi software tracks you down: 'Positioning technology company Ekahau has released an updated version of its software, which allows devices to be physically tracked when they are connected to an 802.11 WLAN network.' Maybe connections that are made from the street(or outside of a predefined area) could be automatically disconnected... It may spell an end to warchalking."

Comments

Good God, are you Clueless?

[Henry V .009]

Hint: War-chalking happens because people are clueless about their networks. The problem is networks that let everyone on board by default without any encryption.

Re:Good God, are you Clueless?

[LarsG]

Anyway, 128-bit WEP (actually just 104 bits) isn't safe.

We all know that. But an AP with WEP enabled is the digital equivalent of a "no trespass" sign, while an AP with no security at all is either set up by a clueless newbie or is deliberately left open to allow other people to get Internet access (which I'll do once I go wireless in my apartment).

In order to promote public accesspoints, I'd prefer that the law doesn't consider it trespass to use an unsecured AP for Internet access.

end to warchalking?

[cosyne]

Not likely. The systems that get picked up by war____ers are generally the ones that someone took out of the box and plugged into the wall. Anyone who bothers to set up a triangulation system would probably already be using MAC restriction or other security measures. (Technically, you can still see a secured network and mark its location, but you could do that with a triangulation-restricted network too).