802.11 WiFi Denial of Service Exploit Discovered

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802.11 WiFi Denial of Service Exploit Discovered

Posted by simoniker on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @10:42PM from the block-block-kick dept.

CRC'99 writes "The Queensland University of Technology has today announced yet another flaw in 802.11 products. AusCERT has the official statement, noting: 'An attacker using a low-powered, portable device such as an electronic PDA and a commonly available wireless networking card may cause significant disruption to all WLAN traffic within range, in a manner that makes identification and localisation of the attacker difficult.' Nice to know that a simple PDA could bring a WiFi network to its knees."

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I found a major flaw too by rokzy · 2004-05-12 22:51 · Score: 4, Funny

using something as small, cheap and common as a hammer I may cause significant disruption to *all* computer activity within walking distance.
1. Re:I found a major flaw too by rokzy · 2004-05-12 23:32 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I walk up to someone with a network connected PC/laptop and say "I'll give you this shiny new hammer if you let me check my email".
  
  I then use outlook to open a attatchment from an unknown source.
Re:jammers? by WegianWarrior · 2004-05-12 23:03 · Score: 4, Funny

A jammer - in the spesific sence of a white-noise transmitter - wouldn't give a 'denial of service' style attack. It would drown out the other transmitters, thus fooling your device into thinking that there is no network avilable. Perhaps we should call it a Lack of Carrier Attack? Splitting hairs, I know ;).

That, and using a PDA and a network card is a much geekier - and thus more intersting - way of doing it. Jammers are soooo 80's.

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Everything in the world is controlled by a small, evil group to which, unfortunately, no one you know belongs.
Classifieds by Big+Nothing · 2004-05-12 23:04 · Score: 2, Funny

Would like to buy second-hand WiFi-enabled PDA, preferably low-powered. Please email me at: big.nothing@bigger.com

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SIG: TAKE OFF EVERY 'CAPTAIN'!!
Re:how come... by dnoyeb · 2004-05-12 23:06 · Score: 3, Funny

I was under the impression that such public frequency devices like Wifi and cordless telephones were forbidden from preventing jamming and also must not interfer with other devices themselves!?
Re:And this is somehow new? by KDan · 2004-05-12 23:13 · Score: 2, Funny

Yup. In other breaking news, microwave ovens operating at certain frequencies have just been discovered to be an effective DoS tool for wireless networks within a limited range.

Another undisclosed report by the NSA reports that hammers are pretty effective too, though their range is extremely short.

Daniel

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Carpe Diem
Tin foil hat by Fullmetal+Edward · 2004-05-12 23:36 · Score: 2, Funny

pfft, we all know the exploit is covering the targets house in tin foil so it can't penetrate

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--- [Insert intresting Sig here]
Re:A future solution... CDMA? - NOT! by devilspgd · 2004-05-13 00:29 · Score: 2, Funny

I'm pretty sure factual knowledge is, by definition, off topic for /. so I'm going to have to ask you to take it elsewhere.

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Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day, but teach a man to phish...
Re:jammers? by meatspray · 2004-05-13 00:40 · Score: 3, Funny

I prefer using cordless phones and microwave ovens to jam up my 802.11 equipment. Sure it's low tech, but I'm lazy damnit!