Full Disclosure mailing list archives

Re: Wi-fi. Approaching customers


From: Ryan Sumida <rsumida () csulb edu>
Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:54:28 -0800

I am no Wi-Fi expert by any means but I will try to convey what they told 
me in layman terms.  Their product uses passive sensors that basically 
just listen for any kind of WiFi traffic.  Using the signal strength, 
attenuation, and some other attributes, their algorithm creates an RF 
fingerprint for the location of a device.  So as an example, if you are 
standing at your desk the RF fingerprint would look like this.

RF fingerprint for Device 1
Sensor1 #################
Sensor2 ######
Sensor3 ##########
Sensor4 ############################

As you physically move the device around the RF fingerprint changes. 
That's basically what they did to setup the device in our office.  Once 
the room is calibrated, you can define the actions for each virtual zone 
through their management software. 

Hope that helps some,

Ryan


"KF (Lists)" <kf_lists () digitalmunition com> wrote on 03/15/2005 04:35:27 
PM:


hrmm... is that based on signal strength or something?
-KF

Ryan Sumida wrote:

As a side note..

Newbury Networks has a product called WiFi Watchdog that can 
allow/deny 
access based on physical location.  As an example, it can be 
configured 
where anyone outside the building walls can not connect to the network 

but once they move inside the building they are allowed access. Sounds 

like black magic but it works (a rep came down and showed us a demo 
yesterday) and can help manage who gets on an open WiFi network like 
Matthew's.

Ryan Sumida
Network Services, CSU Long Beach


full-disclosure-bounces () lists grok org uk wrote on 03/15/2005 01:27:43 
PM:

 >
 > Matthew Sabin wrote:
 >
 > > My company has made a conscious decision to leave our WiFi open 
to
 > visitors, while our internal machines connect via IPSec on the open 

airwaves.
 > > A drive-by would show the open nature of our WiFi, but wouldn't
 > immediately tell you that we've secured our business fairly well.
 >
 > but what if someone uses your unsecured network to download 
copyrighted
 > material (just mp3s are enough :->) or to send porn?
 >
 > An unsecured WiFi may have serious legal consequences.
 >
 > And to come back on the original topic: These legal consequences 
may be
 > good arguments to convince customers that they need to get their 
network
 > secured.
 >
 > Ciao
 > Marcus
 >
 > --
 > Hail Eris! Hail Discordia!
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