bluejackQ.com® :: View topic

Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2021 3:56 pm

Chuck all your WiFi-related news stories in here!

BBC: 'Evil twin' fear for wireless net

People using wireless high-speed net (wi-fi) are being warned about fake hotspots, or access points. The latest threat, nicknamed evil twins, pose as real hotspots but are actually unauthorised base stations, say Cranfield University experts. Once logged onto an Evil Twin, sensitive data can be intercepted.

Wi-fi is becoming popular as more devices come with wireless capability. London leads the global wi-fi hotspots league, with more than 1,000. The number of hotspots is expected to reach 200,000 by 2008, according to analysts.

"Users need to be wary of using their wi-fi enabled laptops or other portable devices in order to conduct financial transactions or anything that is of a sensitive or personal nature," said Professor Brian Collins, head of information systems at Cranfield University.

Twin threats

"Users can also protect themselves by ensuring that their wi-fi device has its security measures activated," he added. In the vast majority of cases, base stations straight out of the box from the manufacturers are automatically set up with the least secure mode possible, he added.

Cybercriminals who try to glean personal information using the scam, jam connections to a legitimate base station by sending a stronger signal near to the wireless client. Anyone with the right gear can find a real hotspot and substitute it with an evil twin. "Cybercriminals don't have to be that clever to carry out such an attack," said Dr Phil Nobles, a wireless net and cybercrime expert at Cranfield. "Because wireless networks are based on radio signals they can be easily detected by unauthorised users tuning into the same frequency."

Although wi-fi is increasing in popularity as more people want to use high-speed net on the move, there have been fears over how secure it is. Some companies have been reluctant to use them in large numbers because of fears about security. A wireless network that is not protected can provide a backdoor into a company's computer system.

Public wi-fi hotspots offered by companies like BT Openzone and The Cloud, are accessible after users sign up and pay for use. But many home and company wi-fi networks are left unprotected and can be "sniffed out" and hi-jacked by anyone with the correct equipment.

Dr Nobles is due to speak about wireless cybercrime at the Science Museum's Dana Centre in London on Thursday.

TOP 10 WI-FI COUNTRIES FOR HOTSPOTS
United States 22,081
United Kingdom 9,356
Germany 5,713
France 3,239
Japan 2,197
Switzerland 1,311
Italy 1,111
Spain 1,073
Canada 826
Australia 800
Source: Jiwire

Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2021 4:35 pm

WOW! We've got lots of hotspots! Especially when you consider the size of the UK compared to the US of A!

I need to get me some WiFi!

Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2021 5:19 pm

Last week when I was trying to fix Lizzie's computer that was having network card troubles, I happened to bring my laptop with me, and when I was just about to give up hope, thought I might as well get it out and check for WiFi, just for fun... And ping! One popped up! In the end it turned out to be invaluable in fixing her PC that's now working fine! Very Happy

Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2021 8:01 pm

That evil twin business was on the news the other day thts wen i heard of it! Shocked

sorry if im behind!

Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2021 8:04 pm

Fulani's WiFi news: It doesn't bloody work.

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2021 9:17 am

does the Wi-Fi work in the same frequence <-[probably misspelled Very Happy

] (110.8 ) as bluetooth doesnt it?

is that the right frequence in the first place??

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2021 9:28 am

Yeah they both use frequencies around 2.4GHz, so do microwaves!

(I think anyway!)

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2021 9:48 am

but the fact your in a Wi-Fi hotspot wont affect the bluetooth range or efectiveness??

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2021 10:37 am

When i get my PSP i hope i can track down a few unsecure hotspots Twisted Evil

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2021 10:54 am

Kinda in response to veyr0n but off on a tangent somewhat:

Bluetooth uses very low power (around 1 milliwatt) and at a frequency of 2.45GHz. Also uses ssfh( spread spectrum frequency hopping) whereby the frequency will cyle within a certain range so many times per second(1600 i believe). This greatly limits the chance of interference with other bluetooth devices.

WiFi systems that work with the 802.11b and 802.11g standards transmit at 2.4 GHz. While those that comply with the 802.11a standard transmit at 5 GHz. WiFi also can use frequency stepping to minimise interference with other WiFi radios.

However because you got bluetooth hopping all over the 2.4GHz band 1600 times per second there is a good chance bluetooth will interfere with WiFi which is confined to approx one third of the 2.5GHz band.

An 802.11 station (client or access point) is will first listen before transmitting. If the 802.11 station doesn't sense RF energy above a certain threshold it will then transmit a frame. While the 802.11 station is sending the frame, other 802.11 stations will hold off their transmissions by following the same protocol. This provides a fairly good method of sharing a common RF channel among devices complying with the 802.11 standard.

A critical problem is that Bluetooth and 802.11b neither understand each other or follow the same rules. Bluetooth may begin transmitting data while an 802.11 station is sending a frame. This results in a collision, which forces the 802.11 station to retransmit the frame when it realises that the receiving station is not going to send back an acknowledgement. This lack of coordination is the basis for RF interference between Bluetooth and 802.11.

So yes there is a problem. One way you can overcome this is to move to 802.11a which runs at 5GHz and thus will have no interference but coverage is smaller.

Bluetooth SIG have been working with the IEEE 802.15.2 task group to try and come up with some form of compromise and have been working together for quite a few years now. So I am pretty sure they have done all they can. Very Happy

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2021 11:57 am

Ow, i feel dumb now Sad

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2021 12:06 pm

WOW! Now that's the kind of repsonse I wish I could post!!!! Very Happy

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2021 12:09 pm

play with enough wifi networks in a bluetooth mad environment and you soon get to know through trial and error then research whats causing the issues.

Either that or I just need to get out more..........lol

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2021 12:16 pm

Tau, we should both have a Bluetooth deathmatch one saturday in Nottingham. First one to 'jack the other wins. To make it more fun/possible i think we should stick to the confines of say the cornerhouse maybe??

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2021 1:31 pm

Ha ha! I always saw my meeting with Offsight like that!

It was unfair though, he bluejacked me first! I found him first but he had a Manually Accepting phone so I couldn't get him right away!!!