Warchalking..

I have discovered that it is a great pastime while having to drive anyway to
have the program netstumbler (www.netstumbler.com) and link ferret running.
I found 49 wireless network access points between work and home (14miles)
and only 7 of the 41 were WEP encrypted. Hmmm wonder what the others are
doing.

ShadowWarrior wrote:

> I have discovered that it is a great pastime while having to drive anyway
> to have the program netstumbler (www.netstumbler.com) and link ferret
> running. I found 49 wireless network access points between work and home
> (14miles) and only 7 of the 41 were WEP encrypted. Hmmm wonder what the
> others are doing.

They're probably not using WEP because of the publicity that it is "easily"
broken. Either that or they're technically incompetent or too lazy to
implement it. Anyway, they'd probably be better off using VPN and a
firewall. Besides, you need to get a life if you consider breaking into
systems as entertainment.

> They're probably not using WEP because of the publicity that it
> is "easily" broken. Either that or they're technically
> incompetent or too lazy to implement it.

I think 99% of the 'administrators' are technically incompetent AND too
lazy. Just look at all the people saying: "I only enabled MAC address
filtering, I guess that will keep most of the hackers away"

> Anyway, they'd probably be better off using VPN and a firewall.

From what I've seen, WPA seems to be a good alternative.

> Besides, you need to get a life if you consider breaking into
> systems as entertainment.

Depends on what you do after you 'break in'. I mean, connecting to a wide
open WLAN network isn't all that bad. And if you leave the user a small
message, telling him that his system is wide open and that he should get
some protection, you could even help some people out

Erik

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> ShadowWarrior wrote:
>
>
>>I have discovered that it is a great pastime while having to drive anyway
>>to have the program netstumbler (www.netstumbler.com) and link ferret
>>running. I found 49 wireless network access points between work and home
>>(14miles) and only 7 of the 41 were WEP encrypted. Hmmm wonder what the
>>others are doing.
>
>
> They're probably not using WEP because of the publicity that it is "easily"
> broken. Either that or they're technically incompetent or too lazy to
> implement it. Anyway, they'd probably be better off using VPN and a
> firewall. Besides, you need to get a life if you consider breaking into
> systems as entertainment.
>
>
>

It's also possible some of them are left open intentionally.
I leave mine open so anybody in range can use it for Internet access if
they wanted to. Of course my wired lan is very tightly firewalled and I
don't allow use of my or my isp's smtp server, etc. If I use the
wireless side myself then it's either vpn'd or just general surfing
(stuff I don't care about anybody snooping).

Not everyone who doesn't use WEP is an incompetent, some of use choose
to leave it open.

Angel

Actually I don't sell them anything, and the time and information is free.
SO Actually I have gotten a few benifits from it like free services and
other little goodies..


<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:bgdtnd$2pu$(E-Mail Removed)...
> ShadowWarrior <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> > I do make it a habit of letting people, especially business owners know
if I
> > detect a signal and its not encrypted. I then try to help them out by
> > explaining the different pros and cons of each type of protection. I let
> > them make the final decision on how they wish to protect the system.
>
> That certainly sounds like an annoying hobby.
> Do you find yourself well received, or are you considered a door-to-door
> salesman, hawking a product that isn't wanted?
>

ShadowWarrior <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> Actually I don't sell them anything, and the time and information is free.
> SO Actually I have gotten a few benifits from it like free services and
> other little goodies..

I noticed that from my wife's store, where there is no wireless, I can
connect to the real estate office down the street. This was inadvertent
war-standing ;-) I suddenly had a connection, and later realized that I
could see a wireless router in the front lobby of the real estate office.

I thought about saying something to them, but didn't have an approach...
I also thought of the reluctance of people to accept anything free,
assuming that there is some catch or nefarious motive.

And the fact that most people must think that you are just weird for doing
this in the first place.

LOL I have gotten that response a time or two. But since Im in the computer
field and once I explain who I am and why I found it they are pretty
receptive. I have never had the cops called on me lets say!.. They usally
are very interested to learn and a time or two they have had me back a
couple of times to check afterwards to see if its fixed.

I found my backyard nieghbors wireless link open and hes a lawyer, so
needless to say he was VERY happy I pointed it out to him and he then had me
fix it and paid me for it. Nothing like combining work and play and
money..


<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:bge11s$44g$(E-Mail Removed)...
> ShadowWarrior <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> > Actually I don't sell them anything, and the time and information is
free.
> > SO Actually I have gotten a few benifits from it like free services and
> > other little goodies..
>
> I noticed that from my wife's store, where there is no wireless, I can
> connect to the real estate office down the street. This was inadvertent
> war-standing ;-) I suddenly had a connection, and later realized that I
> could see a wireless router in the front lobby of the real estate office.
>
> I thought about saying something to them, but didn't have an approach...
> I also thought of the reluctance of people to accept anything free,
> assuming that there is some catch or nefarious motive.
>
> And the fact that most people must think that you are just weird for doing
> this in the first place.
>

In article <3f2a6300$0$56605$(E-Mail Removed)> ,
Angel <enough@spam_already> says:

>It's also possible some of them are left open intentionally.
>I leave mine open so anybody in range can use it for Internet access if
>they wanted to.

Yeah, but what's your SSID? "Public" or thereabouts means you know it's OK,
and not just some plug-and-go newbie.

-Kenny

--
Kenneth R. Crudup Sr. SW Engineer, Scott County Consulting, Los Angeles, CA
Home: 3801 E. Pacific Coast Hwy #9, Long Beach, CA 90804-2014 (562) 961-7300
Work: 2052 Alton Parkway, Irvine, CA 92606-4905 (949) 252-1111 X240

> Yeah, but what's your SSID? "Public" or thereabouts means you know it's OK,
> and not just some plug-and-go newbie.

Doesn't necessarily mean anything whatsoever!!

How about "everybody welcome" as a SSID

David Taylor wrote:
>> Yeah, but what's your SSID? "Public" or thereabouts means you know
>> it's OK, and not just some plug-and-go newbie.
>
> Doesn't necessarily mean anything whatsoever!!