Reconfiguring Access Points
Wireless threats come in many different forms, such as disclosure of cleartext credentials, breaking encryption schemes such as WEP and attacking wireless drivers on client systems. While you can extend the range of wireless signals, for the most part these attacks require that the attacker be in close physical proximity of the wireless network and/or client to execute. This is the primary reason why most organizations do not assign a high priority to defending against these attacks. There are far more attackers on the Internet than will be in close proximity to your wireless deployment.
However, something that worries me greatly are wireless attacks that break down these physical barriers. What if attackers could remotely attack a system and then use it to perform local wireless attacks? There have been some papers posted about using the local client system to enumerate wireless networks, but not much in the way of launching attacks. Malware that embeds itself in wireless routers has received limited exposure (except for the infamous "Chuck Norris" worm, that may have been due to the popularity of the "Chuck Norris Facts" web site).
In an effort to stay ahead of attackers, I recommend that organizations place a higher priority on protecting wireless clients and access points. There are several very concerning vulnerabilities in access points that are trivial to exploit. One example is the D-Link DCC Protocol Security Bypass.
Continue reading "Plugin Spotlight: D-Link DCC Protocol Security Bypass" »
