Commuters hack wireless networks

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

Forwarded from: William Knowles <wk () c4i org>

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2885339.stm

26 March, 2003

Jumping on to the increasing number of wireless networks around cities
such as London has become something of a hobby for hackers and those
seeking to gain free access to the internet.

The security arm of consultancy firm KPMG set out to discover just how
big a menace so-called war driving is to London businesses.

It set up three wireless "honeypots" around the City of London in an
attempt to lure hackers.

Not all harmless

The dummy set-up appeared to be a legitimate corporate wireless
network but actually recorded and analysed the activity of users
trying to access it.

It found that the most popular time for war driving was between nine
and 10 am and between five and six pm.

This suggested to investigators that people scan for wireless access
points during their commutes to and from the office, either on foot or
in the car.

Virtually no activity was recorded at weekends.

On average 3.4 attempts to access the network were spotted each day.  
Of these, 84% appeared to be harmless war-driving hobbyists content to
pinpoint a vulnerability and move on.

Only 16% of the probes actually accessed the network, but of these a
worrying three-quarters appeared to have malicious intentions.


Dispelling the myth

Activities included attempts to run computer commands that would
damage the technology as well as attempts to tamper with and access
systems.

"The activity recorded is significant, given the proliferation of
wireless networks now being used by companies," said Mark Osborne,
Director of Security Services at KPMG.

"The project dispels the myth that all unauthorised wireless activity
is harmless. Risks include stealing bandwidth which slows the network
down, or actual physical disablement of systems," he added.

War drivers and hackers tend to access wireless networks via laptop
computers running freely available software that can detect such
networks.

Often these networks are denoted for others by chalk marks on the
building or the pavement.


 
*==============================================================*
"Communications without intelligence is noise;  Intelligence
without communications is irrelevant." Gen Alfred. M. Gray, USMC
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