Text 339, 57 rader
Skriven 2005-05-27 18:20:34 av Peter Knapper (3:772/1.10)
     Kommentar till en text av Michiel van der Vlist (2:280/5555)
Ärende: Sharing InterNet between more machines on the LAN
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Hi Michiel,

 > Careful now, thats a rather weak assumption........;-) If your WLAN
 > does not use proprietary security methods to stop it happening,
 > then the moment one of your machines sends out a BROADCAST, the
 > MAC address will be splattered all over your neighbourhood....;-)

 MvdV> So? What use is that to hacker? How does it help the 
 MvdV> hacker to gain access to things he should not have 
 MvdV> access to?

I am glad you asked, because few people really understand the TRUE impact of
seemingly inconsequential actions on their part. Once your MAC is known, your
IP address can be found, and once your IP address is known, your IP traffic can
be "managed" by the hacker. Also using the MAC a hacker can use his own AP to
"take control" of the Wireless environment as seen by YOUR machine and
effectively stop your machine from being seen by the "real" AP. 

At this point your machine talks to a "fake" AP and the hacker then controls
all your traffic and emulates your machine to the real AP. Most of this is a
lot harder to do in a Wired Network, its just a pity the Wireless world rushed
to market without thinking things through fully. 

Yes, please note that all this can only happen using the current common
"standards" in the Wireless world. If you add any extra security NOT based on
the WiFi standard, then you are a bit safer from this.


 MvdV>  MvdV>> Go for UTP if you do not really need WiFi. It is
 MvdV>  MvdV>> cheaper and more secure.

 > Thats the best suggestion made to date........;-)

 MvdV> Well, security is fine but one can also overdo it. 

Absolutely, but as a minimum have some security is better than none.

 MvdV> I know all my neighbours 
 MvdV> to the extent that we trust each other with the keys 
 MvdV> of our house. 

Now that sounds like a prety good neigbourhood, one that seems to be slowly
vanshing from modern society... Would you trust your neighours having a Wired
connection to you home LAN without your direct knowledge?

 MvdV> It /is/ convenient to not have wires on the laptop. I 
 MvdV> balance the convenience against the risk. I sleep at 
 MvdV> night...

And that is the basis that most home users work on, I just wonder if anything
really bothers them...

Cheers...............pk.


--- Maximus/2 3.01
 * Origin: Another Good Point About OS/2 (3:772/1.10)