The promiced wireless MAC post....

So as not to upset the geeks (not me maam, I've got leather trousers...), here is something interesting (yawn) info on the allegedly safe practice of securing your wireless LAN by use of MAC addresses...

I happened to be in a different locality recently, where a wife, who shall remain nameless, needed internet access quickly and cheaply... having wireless hardware and experience, we fairly easily managed to secure such access through a conveniently placed open access network... As this was obviously a community connection, due to their choice of disregarding any kind of security, we made the connection, did what we needed, and of course logged off, forgetting all connection details afterwards...

Out of curiosity however, and with the aid of a commercially available network management tool which will also remain nameless... So with the aid of Wildpackets Airopeek NX I found I could quite easily monitor wireless traffic, including MAC addresses of client adapters, without really trying. When I tried, I could even tell what kind of traffic they were sending/receiving, i.e. web stuff, messenger etc. based on the ports their net connection was using... The implication is that if you grap the MAC address, you can join the inner circle of trusted MAC addresses by simply using a cunning program that changes your adapter's MAC address to a 'safe' one. I'll not name the tool that I know of, but they're not hard to find...

And the point? Well I know some people that think they are secure by just using a WEP... erm... airsnort + enough traffic = WEP, or hiding their SSID broadcasts...erm sniffers... or using MAC authentication... protocol analysers such as the one I used, and a swift alteration of MAC address...

But back to the point... If you are worried about your wireless security, spend some time/money/effort and implement an actual secure authentication method... WPA, TKIP or to be really safe, a RADIUS authentication server... Personally I have none of the above, relying on the simple WEP method, but then again,
a) the majority don't know where I live..
b) I regularly monitor my router for accesses..
c) I have various ways of scanning the local area...
d) Being a nerd, I have a pocket protector.

In summary, take the time and the responsibility to look after your network, as there people even cleverer than me without my (un)questionable moral stance who may seek to do naughtiness at your expence... You'd never catch me expoiting someone's wireless insecurities... I cover my tracks ;)

The wrong trousers?

After a chance mention on a radio show, I dug out my very own leather trousers... It must be getting on for 12 years since I bought them, and they still (almost) fit. Perhaps I'm hopelessly out of touch, but I do still think that leather trousers are kinda cool...
I have had another couple of pairs... one was patently far too short, even when I bought them, and they subsequently never got worn, and the other pair were/are industrial quality motorbike versions from when I had my bike...

Out of curiosity I looked into the price of new pairs on ebay... and was kinda shocked on 2 fronts... one the price - are cows more valued now? and two, most advertised pairs had less than veiled gay references... My acquisitions were based on the rock 'n roll lifestyle attached, with never a thought to getting bottom action... When did the gays steal that sartorial icon?? I thought it only counted if you had the matching leather cap, and a bushy moustache...

I had hoped that my leather trousers wouldn't appear as a shameful link back to my younger days, the same way an old teddy jacket might have been for a generation past, but I must admit, my ever approaching (increasing) middle age spread does threaten their 'cool' rating :( Still ARSE to that I say... I'm as young as I feel, so I'll probably dig them out again in another 10 years, criticise how 'old leather obviously shrinks' and do the jive, til I keel over from the exertion!

And to think... I could have donated them to oxfam or suchlike when I stopped wearing them (which to be really honest - I never did much), and missed out on all this nostalgia...

But I don't think I'll be wearing them to work anytime soon...

new year, (slightly) new angle...

Greetings fellow blogites...
Hope you all had a fun packed Christmas, and a swimmingly good new year...

I cunningly resisted all urges to post for a while, and I'm glad to see my other contributer saw fit to follow my lead...

Anyway, I'm refreshed and reinvigorated from my break, and have the urge again...
However, from now on, I'll resist said urge - the one to try and post funny stuff, and instead *try* and post more regularly on matters that pop up... As I work in the field of software and technology, the postings may take a more technical direction, but then again judging by my estimated circulation figures, this is unlikely to upset more than a bored sheepdog in Powys and a confused Indian gentleman that clicked on the wrong link...

Stay tuned for fascinating details on wireless network mac spoofing and the like...(wooo)