Going beyond windows to discover networks one of the first tools many look at is NetStumbler. (found here http://www.netstumbler.com/downloads/) . This one has been around for years and does come with some benefits. One of the big pluses to this program is that it will run natively in Windows. No special drivers, no special gear, no need to know Linux commands. Simply download, install, and start finding wireless access points. When you run the program you will see it provides a lot more information than the Windows wireless zero service did. If you watch the YouTube video some of the more significant options are shown.
My video consists of a drive in a Pittsburgh suburb. You can see the name of the wireless network, if it has encryption, and how good the signal strength is. The lock shows that it is encrypted. One down side on this function is that it will show encryption as WEP even if it is WAP. One of the drawbacks of the program. On a positive note however the program has good support for a GPS device. You can then use this information to plot WiFi points on a Microsoft streets and trips map. It can be a little cumbersome and requires a few steps to get the information on a map. I won’t go into detail with it because soon I will show a tool that does it much better and in a simpler way. But know it can be done.
The program is free however if you want to map it out on streets and trips you’ll have to pay.
If you desire a handheld version well you’re in luck. At the same download location you can find miniStumbler for your smart phone or PDA.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Windows wireless discovery
Friday, May 15, 2009
Discovering a wireless network can be beneficial for a few reasons. Let us say you want to jump on your friend’s wireless network and not their neighbors. Windows wireless network discovery tool should do just fine for you. If you’re unsure of what this tool is go to a coffee shop with a laptop and turn it on. Chances are you will soon get a little bubble that pops up near your time and notifies you of detected wireless networks.
The Microsoft notification runs off a service called the wireless zero configuration. It is built into Microsoft Windows XP and Vista. It is a nice utility for the everyday computer user to show available wireless networks and provide information about them. The tool also gives a front end to allow users to connect.
When using this utility you may be prompted by a few items. One of the items is that the network is public. This could be a security risk because some individuals will set up their computer to look and function like a free wireless access point. When you connect to it and then surf the web information such as passwords and personal information may be captured. Make sure you know what networks you are connecting to.
You may also see a network that has some type of security. WEP was the old standard and has, to a point been replaced by WPA. Both of these come with some security issues but given a choice WPA is the way to go. If you need to get onto a network that requires a password simply obtain it from an administrator and type it in when prompted. Some businesses will have free wireless access but limit who uses it with a password. A simple way to keep out the riffraff.
Another type of network you may see is an ad-hoc network. This is a wireless network that is a computer to computer network. Again unless you know that you should be connecting to this network …..don’t. Chances are something untraditional is going on and unless you should be there you may run into issues.
So for today remember that the typical user will do just fine with what Microsoft has entrusted to us. However some administrators and IT pros may need a little more. I will discuss those tools as we go.
Discovering a wireless network can be beneficial for a few reasons. Let us say you want to jump on your friend’s wireless network and not their neighbors. Windows wireless network discovery tool should do just fine for you. If you’re unsure of what this tool is go to a coffee shop with a laptop and turn it on. Chances are you will soon get a little bubble that pops up near your time and notifies you of detected wireless networks.
The Microsoft notification runs off a service called the wireless zero configuration. It is built into Microsoft Windows XP and Vista. It is a nice utility for the everyday computer user to show available wireless networks and provide information about them. The tool also gives a front end to allow users to connect.
When using this utility you may be prompted by a few items. One of the items is that the network is public. This could be a security risk because some individuals will set up their computer to look and function like a free wireless access point. When you connect to it and then surf the web information such as passwords and personal information may be captured. Make sure you know what networks you are connecting to.
You may also see a network that has some type of security. WEP was the old standard and has, to a point been replaced by WPA. Both of these come with some security issues but given a choice WPA is the way to go. If you need to get onto a network that requires a password simply obtain it from an administrator and type it in when prompted. Some businesses will have free wireless access but limit who uses it with a password. A simple way to keep out the riffraff.
Another type of network you may see is an ad-hoc network. This is a wireless network that is a computer to computer network. Again unless you know that you should be connecting to this network …..don’t. Chances are something untraditional is going on and unless you should be there you may run into issues.
So for today remember that the typical user will do just fine with what Microsoft has entrusted to us. However some administrators and IT pros may need a little more. I will discuss those tools as we go.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Intro to wireless tools
I thought I would start off with something fun and something I know is a hot topic, wireless networking. Call it WiFi, 802.11, wireless, or wifie. The hotspots are practically everywhere. From the coffee shop to the bar you can use you wireless laptop or PDA to access all the internet has to offer. This however can expose the user to a threat that they can’t see or detect. It can also expose the provider of the wireless access to some security risks of their own. Even if a company has implemented wireless security it may not be enough.
Over the next few posts I will introduce the methodology followed by some individuals to find, exploit, or capture a wireless network. I would also like to give some suggestion on how to defend or protect against these threats. These posts are meant to act as a learning and warning for some. While I know some could use this information for malicious purposes it is important to understand the weaknesses that exist, and how to protect against them. As far as those who do conduct malicious activities on systems, fair warning, we catch people like you every day.
As tools are discussed you will be able to find youtube videos on my channel to see the software in action.
Over the next few posts I will introduce the methodology followed by some individuals to find, exploit, or capture a wireless network. I would also like to give some suggestion on how to defend or protect against these threats. These posts are meant to act as a learning and warning for some. While I know some could use this information for malicious purposes it is important to understand the weaknesses that exist, and how to protect against them. As far as those who do conduct malicious activities on systems, fair warning, we catch people like you every day.
As tools are discussed you will be able to find youtube videos on my channel to see the software in action.
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