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New Security Ideas From Intel
Scott writes "Intel is developing a new technology that could prevent unauthorized access to wireless networks using the time it takes for packets to arrive from the access point to the Wi-Fi user. This is one of several ideas were presented at Intel Developer Forum. Intel has also released a hardware-based solution to fight against worm spreading. From the report: 'The system monitors the number of external connections being made and if a higher network activity is detected, the computer is disconnected to prevent the infection of further machines on the network.'"
Say goodbye to P2P and BT.
"It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
while this sounds fine and dandy.. arent there so many things to consider.. interference from other devices, walls, metal objects... how accurate would this be... im thining it could end up with too many false-positives
Its disgusting how Intel capitalizes on paranoia in order to increase profit. How do you expect free community networks to take off if people don't keep their access points open? I keep my access point wide open for everyone to use and never had any problems. If I need to transfer something sensitive I simply use ssl, ssh, or any other type of encryption.
Why stop at doing this for wireless devices? Why not include such connnection-based control for any connections made from the host?
Also, the article says this proposed change will require change to existing Wi-Fi devices. IS that really going to happen in near future?
http://efil.blogspot.com/
Could it be..
- Setting the router defaults to be more secure
- Printing out how to run the setup utility included with the router to secure your network on a big bright yellow card
- Forcing the user to pay attention to the settings by setting the WPA key to a random default
- Printing, in big letters somewhere on the inside of the box, explaining how if the user runs yet another inescure 802.11b network, the terrorists have already won
</sarcasm>It seems like Intel might be searching for an automatic solution for this problem, which is bound to fail as quickly as they can put it out in the wild. How do you protect users from bad network setups if the users largely aren't aware that the problem exists? We don't need new technology, we need to modify existing technology that, while it might add a few extra steps, forces users to pay attention to the problem that everyone here is already aware of.
(OK, so it has nothing to do with Clarke's Law, other than sharing the same sentence pattern.)
The university where I work already incorporates this tactic, and it works quite well. The only way to get your computer back on the network is to prove you've installed virus software + firewall, and have completely rid your machine of the malicious software. It really gets users to shape-up quick. They also run a daily scan of the network for certain open ports and vulnerabilities that are commonly used by worms. "Punishment" is still the same - fix it or remain cut off.
lame idea, where would it stop?
some other thing using a well known protocol will come along.... hey lets block it, not like this is called the internet or anything.
They did this for a while last year with bell south. My friend could no longer check or send email and his router ceased properly functioning. yeah.. filter port 25... who cares about any of that "internet stuff"
VLC FOR MAC IS DYING! IF YOU DEVELOP, PLEASE SAVE IT!!
actually, it was apple's .mac mail server, on which 3 separate accounts were active for 2 computers in their household.
Are you implying that the constant complaining I was hit with was all about nothing?
bell south even admitted to them the problem was they were blockign port 25, but didn't indicate they'd do something to alleviate those little "inconveniences" involving non-working email and routers.
Whoops!
VLC FOR MAC IS DYING! IF YOU DEVELOP, PLEASE SAVE IT!!