[MLB-WIRELESS] 128bit WEP

[Kim Hawtin]

On Sun, Jan 13, 2002 at 10:32:56PM +1100, Peter Rogers wrote:
> I have been thinking and i have come up with a question to pose to the group.
> 
> we all know that the WEP protocol has been hacked. 
> but my question is this.
> if WEP is run at 128bit can it be hacked by a 40bit card??
> or can a 40bit card even see the trafic??

i think that there is a bit too much hysteria with WEP ...

when the WEP cracks were announced, they failed to mention that the
type of hardware, the cracks brute force nature, weak keys being
used, etc ....

if you do not want to share your wireless connection with anyone,
use WEP. if you do want to share you wireless connection, do not use
WEP, *and* any data/info that you feel that might be sensitive, use
an encrypted tunneling method, like stunnel or ssh ... 

the problem with 40bit WEP is that it suffers from "weak" keys.
weak keys can be cracked, they can also be mathematically checked to
see if they are weak. i believe that newer version of the wireless
adapters will have this new test in by default soon ... IIRC it was
being discussed on seattle wireless lists a while ago.

anyhow, 'aveagoodone

yours,

kim
-- 
:Kim_Hawtin:--------------------------------------:-----------------:
| A.L. Digital Ltd.   Tel: +44 (20) 8742 0755     |   .^. Don't fear|
| The Stores          Fax: +44 (20) 8742 5995     |   /V\   the     |
| 2 Bath Road         http://www.thebunker.net    |  // \\ penguins!| 
| London W4 1LT       http://www.aldigital.co.uk  | /(   )\         |
| UNITED KINGDOM      mailto:kim at aldigital.co.uk  |  ^^ ^^          |


--
To unsubscribe, send mail to minordomo at melbwireless.dyndns.org with a subject of 'unsubscribe melbwireless'  
Archive at: http://melbwireless.dyndns.org/cgi-bin/minorweb.pl?A=LIST&L=melbwireless
IRC at: au.austnet.org #melb-wireless