[Rhodes22-list] WiFi security - WEP 128 & MAC address, general topics

[Robert Skinner]

Rummy -

Yup.  I have my WiFi locked down to a list of MAC 
(machine address code) addresses.  Unless the 
person knocking on my door knows the MAC address 
of one of my machines, can modify his WiFi MAC 
address to match one of mine, and mine is off the 
network at that time, I think he cannot get in.

If someone knows where this form of security has a
hole, I hope that he/she will speak up so I will 
know that I have a vulnerability.

As to modifying a machine's WiFi machine address 
code (MAC), it is vendor-specific, and I would not 
publish the method for any one of them on the 
Internet.  It is not a trivial modification, and 
is a proprietary trade secret, for good reason.

Finally, keep in mind that your ISP can log any or 
all of your Internet traffic and will provide it 
to some government agency on request, regardless 
of any laws or guarantees to the contrary.  Fact.

Likewise, anyone who works at the ISP and has 
access to the routers can monitor and record any 
connection.  Some bad guys work for ISPs.

Personal preferences:

I do not do on-line banking via the banks.  I 
worked for a bank, and know that banks now accept 
some risks to customer accounts, figuring that 
perfect security is too expensive.  They would 
rather hire lawyers to defend themselves against 
customer's suits.  

For example, there is no way that I can get any 
local bank to agree to refuse an electronic draft 
against my accounts.  They are trying to get away 
from check processing entirely.  Many scams 
depend on this.

I have set up a credit card for on-line purchases.  
It has a very low credit limit.  They keep trying 
to increase it, but I fight them off.

I use PayPal where possible, and have that tied 
into a bank account with very limited funds and 
no overdraft protection.

Bottom line:

Ultimately, it is best secure what you can, 
obscure the rest, and assume that no communication 
is perfectly secure.  Monitor your bank and credit 
accounts closely (as often as once a week), and 
change your passwords often on critical resources.

Perfect security is impossible, good security is 
difficult and time-consuming, and the results of 
poor security can be disasterous.  

There Is No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.

/Robert
---------------------------------------------------
R22RumRunner at aol.com wrote:
> 
> Robert,
> Very good points. One additional thought, we have our network set up so  that
> it is not broadcasting. Unless you know the network SSID and access code,
> you can't see it.
> Now, with all this talk about security, one last item. Just because you  have
> encrypted your network and set up all the firewall's, this does not mean
> that you are safe. There are free programs readily available on the internet
> which can break WEP 128 encryption in less than a minute.
> 
> Rummy
> 
> **************************************Check out AOL's list of 2007's hottest
> products.
> (http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001)
> __________________________________________________
> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list

-- 
Robert Skinner  "Squirrel Haven" 
Gorham, Maine         04038-1331
s/v "Little Dipper" & "Edith P."