Less Than a Minute to Hijack a MacBook's Wireless

Kadin2048 writes "As reported by Ars Technica and the Washington Post, two hackers have found an exploitable vulnerability in the wireless drivers used by Apple's MacBook. Machines are vulnerable if they have wireless enabled and are set to connect to any available wireless network, fairly close to their default state, and the exploit allows an attacker to gain "total access" -— apparently a remote root. Although the demo, performed via video at the BlackHat conference, takes aim at what one of the hackers calls the "Mac userbase aura of smugness on security," Windows users shouldn't get too smug themselves: according to the Post article, "the two have found at least two similar flaws in device drivers for wireless cards either designed for or embedded in machines running the Windows OS." Ultimately, it may be the attacks against embedded devices which are the most threatening, since those devices are the hardest to upgrade. Currently there have not been any reports of this vulnerability 'in the wild.'" According to this story at ITwire.com, they were able to exploit Linux and Windows machines, too. (Thanks to Josh Fink.)

Comments

sorry to be offtopic, mod accordingly.

[xtracto]

C'mon, don't tell me you've never taken your laptop to the "reading room".

Hell yeah, but, I think it is a better idea to keep your GBA over there. I keep mine there, with an Supercard+ 1GB SD + some games. That way I can get very inspired :) [I am playing FF1 now]

Re:Uh

[elrous0]

we put our money where our mouths are.

Well, you certainly put a lot of money on that computer too. Too bad you can't put any decent games on it.

-Eric

Re:Actually, your Powerbook probably IS safe!

[rthille]

Apple gave you a new intel iMac as a warranty replacement? That seems really unlikely. Apple would certainly have some G5 iMacs sitting around as warranty parts. I think it's required by law for like 5 years. I know they had the Rev. A circuit board for my desktop G3 when it failed in warranty, even though Rev C was out by then.

Though, I suppose if you had some extended warranty plan from CompUSA or something...
Wouldn't work for me though, I still _need_ to be able to run classic :-(