Lisa Phifer

$ cowpatty -r capturefile -s soho-psk -f dictionaryfile cowpatty 2.0 – WPA-PSK dictionary attack. Collected all necessary data to mount crack against passphrase. Starting dictionary attack. Please be patient. key no. 1000: apportion key no. 2000: cantabile key no. 3000: contract key no. 4000: divisive The PSK is “secretsecret”. 4089 passphrases tested in 112.55 seconds: […]

WLAN Analyzers are essential tools for anyone who administers a network with 802.11 Wi-Fi devices, authorized or otherwise. Part 1 of this series identified several open source and commercial tools. Part 2 explained how to combine those tools with PDAs, laptops, desktops, adapters, antennas, and GPS receivers to create an analysis toolkit. Here in Part […]

Like their wired counterparts, Wireless LAN analyzers provide packet capture, protocol decode, traffic analysis, alerting, trending, and reporting for 802.11 networks. Many also provide wireless-specific functions like spectrum analysis, net stumbling, site survey, and rogue detection. In Part 1 of this article, we identified several open source and commercial WLAN Analyzers. Now it’s time to […]

Wireless LANs based on 802.11 Wi-Fi protocols are deceptively simple to install, but achieving optimum or even acceptable levels of security and performance can be tough. Many operators don’t really know how their WLAN is being used, if outsiders are consuming WLAN resources, or whether fine-tuning could improve quality of service. Traditional traffic monitoring and […]

Those on a tight budget or unfamiliar with WLAN analyzers may prefer to cut their teeth on shareware or open source programs. Depending upon your needs, you may even find these programs sufficient. We can’t hope to provide an exhaustive list, but here are a few available shareware and open source programs to give you […]

To illustrate commercial product breadth, here is a representative (non-exhaustive!) list of commercial WLAN analyzers. We’ve included manufacturer’s suggested retail prices for several of these products, but prices change and volume/site licenses are usually available, so please consult vendor websites for further information. AirMagnet Laptop ($3,499) and Handheld ($2,995) are software products designed to perform […]

In part two of this tutorial, we considered using a managed RADIUS service to support 802.1X Access Control for Wireless LANs. Here, we conclude our three-part tutorial by illustrating what it takes to configure an in-house RADIUS Server for authenticating wireless users. Choosing A RADIUS Server Package It’s important to choose the right […]

As described in my last primer, WLAN security can be significantly strengthened by using 802.1X to control access point (AP) "port" access and deliver dynamic keys to authenticated users. Authentication Servers based on the RADIUS protocol play a key role in 802.1X. In part one of this tutorial, we take a closer look at how […]

In this year’s ISP-Planet managed security service provider (MSSP) survey, we noticed a significant increase in providers offering Intrusion Detection and Prevention (IDS/IPS) services. IDS is commonly used to monitor wired networks, hosts, and servers for signs of attack. IPS goes a step further by taking action to stop would-be attacks before they can do […]

Securing any kind of network involves allowing authorized parties to access traffic and networked resources (e.g., servers, hosts) while blocking outsiders. One essential ingredient in this recipe: permitting or denying physical attachment to the underlying communications medium. In Ethernet LANs, this has long been accomplished by disabling unused RJ-45 jacks and latching Media Access Control […]

Last week, in Part 2 of our analysis, we showed how AirMagnet can be used for site surveys and to improve existing WLAN installation. Now that we’ve seen AirMagnet in action, it’s time to talk to an actual WISP that uses it, and to learn about future AirMagnet products. Rapid growth According to CEO Dean […]

Last week, in Part 1 of our analysis, we described the interface of the AirMagnet. Now that we have a feel for navigation and output, let’s consider how AirMagnet can be used to support common WLAN administration tasks, beginning with site surveys. We had very little trouble using AirMagnet from day one for WLAN discovery […]