Penetration Testing mailing list archives

Re: Legality of WEP Cracking


From: Paul Dickens <paul.dickens () iop org>
Date: Wed, 23 May 2007 08:33:10 +0100

Richard

First of all; good post. I haven't yet read all of the responses but some 
valid opinions. 

As a UK customer I wouldn't feel to great about someone cracking my WiFi 
network but what would happen if someone malicious got their dirty hands 
on it? I have also heard of others chalking symbols near cracked zones. 
Perhaps you should go on a walkabout and take lots of photos and use this 
material to circulate amongst your geographic potentials! 

Another point, who still uses WEP in business? Clearly some must in order 
to get such a response from your posting. I thought WEP was flawed 
technology!

Kind regards


Paul Dickens
IT Security Officer
IOPP
UK 



"Richard Brinson" <richard () kanoo-uk com> 
Sent by: listbounce () securityfocus com
18/05/2007 10:32

To
<pen-test () securityfocus com>
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Subject
Legality of WEP Cracking






During an internal business development meeting yesterday we were 
discussing
new ways of picking up pen testing clients. One of our junior engineers
suggested that we go war driving, crack some WEP keys and then approach 
each
company offering services to make them more secure. The idea was put down
straight away on the basis that without prior approval we would be 
breaking
the law. However, upon further discussion a case was made that (moral 
issues
aside) provided we only captured traffic passively, and as long as we did
not try to connect or send any packets to any devices - would the law be
broken? 
 
Does the law state anywhere that we can not analyse air traffic that is
broadcast into the public domain? (if so surely we would all be breaking 
the
law every time we picked up a network other than our own) and is it 
against
the law to know someone else's WEP key when they have not made that
information available to you?
 
What are your thoughts on this?
 
Kind regards,
 
Richard Brinson
Kanoo Ltd
 
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