More on Wireless networking security
Sunbeltblog has a flurry of posts today. This one muses on wireless networking (in)security. One of the points that they make is that there are “acceptable” levels of security depending on your circumstance. In other words, if you’re miles from nowhere and feel comfortable with WEP (which is breakable) fine.
I think the reall point is we need to be AWARE of the fact that radio frequency signals can be intercepted. MAC filtering can be spoofed, WEP can be cracked in 5-10 minutes, WPA can be brute forced and turning off the SSID broadcast only keeps the AP from advertising it’s presense, it can still be found.
Seriously, I don’t think there will ever be an “unbreakable” encryption of data. The catch is usually, is it too much of a pain to break to make it worthwhile. If it takes 3 years of computing time to break a code, your average script-kiddy isn’t going to bother trying to access your home wireless access point. If it takes 3 minutes, that’s another story.
It’s just like physical locks and physical security to buildings. If you lock a door there are ways to pick it, or to break down the door, if you get more expensive locks and stronger doors, people will look towards other ways to get in. (“Pizza delivery….”)