Wireless Security: 6 Ways to Stop and Catch Hackers and War Drivers

War drivers are in the business of finding wirelessyou can track them down. There are many honeypot
access points, documenting them and uploading theirprograms free and commercial that will simulate
locations to the web. Why would someone do this, wellnetworks or servers but are really just recording all the
for several reasons:First they want free internethackers' information and types of attacks.6. Use a
access. Next they could just be war driving as aRADIUS Server - RADIUS servers require Wireless
hobby; finally they could be targeting your network forclients to authenticate with a username and password
financial gain.not just with a PSK (Pre- Shared Key). With out a
One of the most asked questions is how do you stopRADIUS server you really don't know who is on your
hackers from trying to hack your wireless lan and howWLAN. With a RADIUS server you know who is
to catch them in the act.Stopping Wardrivers:1. Useaccessing your WLAN and when they accessed it.
directional antennas: One of the most under statedAlso a RADIUS server gives you the ability of creating
uses of directional antennas are how they keep yourpolicies for times your WLAN can be accessed and
wireless signal within your area of operation. If you areother required security features the wireless clients
using a Omni directional antenna that is causing half themust have enabled their computers.Now let's put this all
signal to travel outside your building, you have a majortogether to catch our hacker. First you are going
security problem. Also while using your wirelessthrough your daily routine of checking logs on your
directional antenna turndown transmit power to reduceKismet IDS server and you notice the same MAC
your signal strength if you can.2. Blend your wirelessaddress probing networks but not joining. Next you
antennas into your buildings architecture or keep themcheck your help tickets and notice that in one area of
low profile. This is not expensive, the whole point is notthe building clients were having trouble connecting to
letting your antennas stick out like a sore thumb sothe wireless network or they had trouble staying
anyone driving by doesn't say, wow they have aconnected.
wireless network. Once again the best way to stopFlags go up in your head, so you go over to your
people from trying to hack your wireless network is tohoneypot server and check that . You notice it was
keep it hidden.3. Use Kismet or Airsnort - Make aaccessed around the same time of the Kismet logs
cheap wireless Intrusion detection system. Use anshowed a client probing the network. The honey pot
older desktop computer install Linux, install a USBrecorded the MAC address of the WAR driver and
wireless adapter or PCI wireless adapter and boomthe operating system and the computer name.Next
you have your wireless war driver stopper. Bothyou check your security cameras for that time but
Kismet and airsnort will alert you when wireless clientsdon't really notice anything. So for the next couple
are probing your network. If a wireless client is usingdays you keep monitoring your honey pot server and
netstumber and not joining networks they will be foundwatch the hacker try and crack the WLAN and the
by Kismet. Their wireless adapters MAC address willdatabase server. The whole process of cracking
be logged and other details of the operating system.wireless encryption is actually two steps. The first step
Most of the time these could be false hits but if youis gathering enough packets for your cracking program
notice a pattern of the same MAC address probingto crack. This whole process of gathering enough
networks you could have hacker issues.4. Securitypackets can takes days or weeks not five minutes.
Cameras - No matter how hard you try not to haveNow once you do have enough packets 64 bit WEP
your signal bleed outside your operations area it will...toencryption can be cracked in less that five minutes.
a point. Probe your own network as if you were a128 bit encryption can take many times longer, WPA
wardriver. Don't just use a standard wireless adapterwith TKIP and AES encryption can takes months to
to find out where you still can detect your network.crack.My whole point is that you have some time to
You will want to use a highly directional antenna to seecatch your hacker because he will be back many
how far away you can detect your own network.times, assuming that you already have at least the
Once you know your weak points setup some cheapbasic security features in place.
security cameras to monitor those areas.5. Setup aNow once you have all your logs compiled and your
Honey Pot - Give the Wardriver what they want, ahoney pot data you should have a good idea how the
network to hack. Take an access point connect it to ahacker behaves. Check your security cameras and
standalone switch with another junk computeryou probably notice the same car or person in the
connected to that switch. Name the SSID somethingarea around that time. Take that information to your in
sounding important like server WLAN and name thehouse security and tell them to watch for that vehicle
computer Database. Finally use a weak password oror person and call the police.If you are lucky security or
just leave the access point without any security. Scriptpolice will spot him and apprehend him. Convicting him
kiddies who say they "hack networks" really are onlyor her will be tough but with your compiled logs and
connecting to open wireless lans with no security. Ifvideo you should have a lot of evidence to help your
you give them a "Important sounding SSID with acase.Simple and secure wireless solutions.
"database to hack" this will keep them occupied until