I went wardriving...

No explicit questions like "how do I hack xxx.com" please!
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RavenousBlack
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I went wardriving...

Post by RavenousBlack »

So I downloaded netstumbler and tossed my laptop in my car (more like sat it down lightly) and drove around my neighborhood for a little while and got a bunch of access points logged, plenty of which had default passwords and all of that stuff. But my question is, what is there to it after that? Is the only purpose for this just to find out where wifi spots are so that you can access the internet wirelessly for free from your car or something? I can stay home and get a better signal instead of sitting in my hot air-conditionless car. Is there anything that someone can do with access to my wireless connection? I've heard of things from people like making it so that all the web pages you view are backwards or some other weird direction or so that all the images are disabled or something, but how? Or could someone log all the packets being sent from my wireless router and possibly catch a password for something like msn? What are the dangers of an accessable wireless network other than people surfing the internet anonymously and for free with my internet connection?

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floodhound2
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a little info

Post by floodhound2 »

Well you’re right about people being on your router at home and able to view information you are providing to a seemingly one on one type of exchange. You should secure your router and keep it tight so people can not do what you did. When you become more advanced in networking protocol you will know what can be done. Study TCPIP for starters and the OSI model. Then in conjunction do some war-game challenges listed here on suck-o.com. It gets the juices flowing and keeps the beer runs excusable. I am able to do a ton of things on non-secure networks and enjoy the free ride so to speak. Often I can take hole of there router for some time since most don’t even put a user name/password on the router log interface I can manipulate the router. Some in these forums are far more advanced and might use the no-secure point to do some major things.

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Post by pseudo_opcode »

Atleast you all are better than me... :) i dont even have a lappy.. forget wardriving.. i've just read about it in books and here on forums, i m not lucky enough to actually try it...

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Post by n3rd »

I think u should try aircrack?.

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Post by bad_brain »

well, usually wardrivers are looking for APs, but it's up to you what a potential attacker can do with your WLAN network. many people don't even change the default passwords of the wireless router (those are usually the APs which still have the manufacturer's name like NETGEAR for example)...in this case it might be possible to enter the router config and so the whole network...but for many routers there are also exploits available, so an attacker would just have to identify your router model.
when sniffing packets it promiscuous mode it is also possible to sniff passwords which are transfered in plaintext (only https is pretty safe in web applications).
encrypted WLAN traffic is not really safe, but the average wardriver is just looking for an AP and because there are so many he usually just drives on to the next (unencrypted) one...
wardriving is fun at the beginning but after a while it gets a little boring because there's not much to learn... :wink:

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time to get schooled

Post by DNR »

ok, let me set you straight.

I love numbers so here we go.

1. netstumbler just locates wifi AP (access points) and lists their SSIDs. SSIDs are not passwords, just network ID. It detects APs by an active method - it sends out a beacon that wifi AP respond to with their beacon (the SSID). APs that are set _not_ to respond will not be detected by netstumbler. You'll need a passive AP detector, one that sniffs for signals of traffic, use your search engine.

2. wardriving is personal, you might enjoy sitting at home, but I like finding cool places to hang out, and I do have a nice car. It is a personal curiosity that drives me to map out wifi APs, not nessarily a need. I guess I am no different from that bum that likes to go through your neighborhood's garbage cans, sometimes he finds some neat stuff. It is an obsession/compulsion. And it keeps my skillz up.

3. Read the forum for discussions on wifi, the answers to your questions are there. It is rude to ask questions that have been asked recently.

4. Since ignorant people have setup their own wifi routers, they did not change the default passwords. Netstumbler will tell you the brand of router it is, and you would consult (previous discussion on suck-o) this list for the router IP and password;

Netgear DG824M Wireless http://192.168.0.1/ admin password
Netgear DG834G NETGEAR http://192.168.0.1/
Linksys WAG-54G linksys http://192.168.1.1/ admin admin
When I connect to unsecured wifi AP, I check for default logins. I can enable logging to track all incoming and outgoing TCP traffic, browsing logs, and even set a email for it to send the logs to. If you lock out the owner by resetting the default login, usually their only recourse is to use a paperclip to hit a reset/reboot button on the router - therefore erasing the evidence of your trespass. You now ownz it.

5. Aircrack? Have you read on how it works? It needs to collect about 600,000 sniffed packets in order to decode the WEP used. You'd need a heavy traffic wifi AP, like in a corporate site, to generate enough captured packets to crack. You don't want to sit on your neighbor's family wifi AP for 3 years do you?

6. If your AP is open, you are letting anyone in your neighborhood come in to your house, anytime they want. They could d/l a movie and lag your network, or d/l kiddie porn on your ISP account. You might as well let strangers use your car to rob a bank or kidnap a child, its the same thing when the police come knocking on your door, because they got your car's license plate number at the crime scene. On the reverse side you can sniff that traffic easily for their passwords and personal nfo, even email logins. When you connect to a 'free, unsecured' wifi AP, expect no privacy, and avoid stuff like banking online.

7. security is in the form of encryption, avoid protocols that send nfo in plaintext. https is a secure protocol for webbased transactions, don't send CC or personal nfo over http. Use tools like ScatterChat to encrypt IM convo, send your sensitive email only after it has been encrypted on your box. Don't worry about your suck-o surfing or IM to your girlfriend or emails to mom, you are not that important enough for compromise.

DNR
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He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in Darkness, and Light dwells with him.

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