Re: Replacing WEP was Re: Dsniff'ng wireless networks

["Crist Clark" <crist.clark () globalstar com>]

Simon Waters wrote:
> Someone is thinking of doing a community network with
> Wireless LAN.
>
> WEP seems to offer little in this environment, so thinking
> of replacing it with IP based encryption - sort of a public
> PKI. Assuming we can get users to switch of non-IP protocols
> on their client PCs (I know it is hard to right click
> network neighbourhood and pick properties), do we lose any
> security at layer two by not using WEP?

What security at layer 2? Layer 2 security has almost always been
sacrificed for easy operability.
 
> i.e. Are we more vulnerable to some other types of attack -
> I'm guessing mostly DoS if any more are possible. But hey
> they can probably DoS more profitably by stealing the
> antennas from the relays and selling them.

A good remark at DEFCON was that it is pretty much impossible to prevent
DoS of a wireless network. It's not data layer attacks, but physical layer
attacks. I believe the memorable quote was something along the lines, 
"Anyone can put a coat hanger in a microwave oven and aim it at your base
station." (Can't resist, when it comes to wireless base stations: "All your 
base are belong to us.")
-- 
Crist J. Clark                                Network Security Engineer
crist.clark () globalstar com                    Globalstar, L.P.
(408) 933-4387                                FAX: (408) 933-4926

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