Slashdot Mirror
Anti-Wi-Fi Wallpaper
Alephcat writes "New Scientist is reporting on a wallpaper that can prevent hackers accessing secure networks via Wi-Fi - without blocking mobile phone signals - that's been developed by a British defence contractor. It is based on covert 'stealth' technology that was originally designed to hide military radars."
Or on the ceiling? (Think multi-story apartment complex) Carpet?
Get real... the people who want security in the first place WON'T USE WIFI.
It'll never make it to market.
a wallpaper that can prevent hackers accessing secure networks via Wi-Fi - without blocking mobile phone signals
But... I want it to block cell phones as well.
And lining the whole house in foil just looks way too shiney for normal use...
Kind of neat, but I worry about the fragility of the wallpaper in any kind of commercial or industrial setting. It seems to me such a material would be far more useful incorporated in a vapor barrier *inside* the wall. I know it would be an expensive retrofit that way, but how else would you deal with drop ceilings and the masses of ducting and cabling therein?
Uninformed people want security, too, they just don't know it until they've been violated or 0wn3d. One former CIO thought WI-FI was extremely cool until I started showing him the stuff about War-Chalking on Slashdot. Funny reaction, though, seemed I was part of some problem by revealing such things. Must be the PHB self-defense mechanism kicking in... 'didn't make mistake, peon warning of possible security holes is actualy problem, move peon to desk further away, problem solved.'
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
But it is also the work of moments then for an outsider to breach that company's computer security using the Wi-Fi connection. Unless the Wi-Fi base station is protected by security measures that most amateur users would not bother to set up, it gives anyone up to 100 metres away the chance to bypass the corporate firewall and wirelessly hack straight into the network.
...
Yeah, cuz most amateur users are going to install special wallpaper
I understand that some compaines may want this, and it is a cool idea, but if you are going to use Wi-Fi you have better do your best to secure it, not just pray you can keep everyone out with some wall paper.
man
No manual entry for
The article says the main threat this targets is outsiders. They don't care if you VPN out from inside the building- physical security is meant stop you from getting in in the first place if you're not authorized. But you won't be able to get on wireless base stations inside the building if you're outside it.
Wouldn't it be easier and less expensive to:
Come play Moral Decay!
...they'll beam a wifi and a cellphone signal at a building and measure the reflections. If the building is much more reflective at wifi frequencies than cellphone frequencies, they've found something really worth finding. How they get it once they've found it is another matter, of course.
"How to Do Nothing," kids activities, back in print!
Not sure if you are aware, but WiFi is used for other applications than Internet access. Companies use it in inventory control applications in stores and warehouses and all kinds of places. I think they would be very interested to know they could prevent someone from setting with a laptop snooping what's going on with their inventory.
Hospitals and doctors offices would be especially interested to help keep their information inside their walls and further comply with regulations.
They would likely make more money selling to organizations like that anyway than selling to individuals.
Jumpstart the tartan drive.
...and they can save half the money they spent (not because the idea is expensive but because I'm greedy). Simply fire ANYONE on the spot who connects an unauthorized wireless hub to the corporate network. No questions asked, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Show the employee, err...ex-employee, the door and make sure to have him escorted by no less that four security guards. Make him look foolish for his transgressions and make sure others see his shame. This idea works for opening e-mail attachments without verifying the source and giving out passwords to unauthorized people amongst other problems with security.
If you're using this to keep wireless data inside (and not pervent transmission altogether), doesn't it seem like this would defeat any chance at room to room wifi access? I mean, it's hard enough to get good signal strenth in buildings without having some futuristic alien-technology inspired government stealth ultra-anti-signal wallpaper in the place.
We are one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. Back to you with the weather, Bob!
it's not so bad with Firefox - doubleclick to select link text, middle click to go to Google's best guess (which is the actual site)
Seems like a far more sensible (and cheap) way to deal with the insecurity of wireless networks is to use frickin' secure protocols!
I mean, how hard is it to run IPSEC over the network?!?
http://blog.nexusuk.org