[MLB-WIRELESS] Fw: Idea - Security by amplitude recognition

[vak at alphalink.com.au]

(James Gardiner, i don't have your email address to cross post this to you)

It's a nice idea, but won't work.

(This includes Point to point links)

Reason being: Signal fluctuates naturally whether it be through physical
obstruction or through the varying of an AGC (automatic gain control).
People don't stand still, the dielectric constant of things such as walls,
etc doesn't stay the same (temperature dependant), birds fly through signal
beams, multipath fading (planes) etc etc etc.

Even if you allow for a margin, there may be times when your signal will
drop out (ie. interference).

Anyway, even if you locked it down to the slowest possible transmission
speed, you'd get leakage occuring past your client machine (as you know a
certain S/N ratio is required - you can't have high data rates without a
S/N greater than 5 or 10 etc). Eg: You have AP talking to Client 1, if
client 2 is sitting past client 1, they'd still see the signal (just use a
medium/high gain antenna).

Also you'd want to consider what would happen if you had a 2nd client at a
different distance to the 1st - the radio can't just simply drop off
communications to client 1 because it wants to speak to client 2
exclusively.

Nice idea, but i can't see it working.

If you're really paranoid about signal interception, use either laser comms
(although you might be able to pickup some scattering) or run optic fiber
in clear conduit (to be able to see if it's been tampered with). Oh and of
course, use encryption.

Regards,

Vaskos
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Original Message:
-----------------
From: Steven Haigh netwiz at wireless.org.au
Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2003 02:22:35 +1000
To: melbwireless at wireless.org.au
Subject: [MLB-WIRELESS] Fw: Idea - Security by amplitude recognition


BTW: This user has been added to the list now...

Signed,
Steven Haigh
http://wireless.org.au
(Visit https://wireless.org.au to install our Root Certificate.)

You can lead a fool to wisdom but you can't make him think.
We have enough youth. What we need is a fountain of smart.
I am root. If you see me laughing, you better have a backup.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: James Gardiner 
To: majordomo-owner at wireless.org.au 
Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2003 12:32 AM
Subject: Idea - Security by amplitude recognition


Hello Majordomo,

What if a new range of 802.1x card was released with the next generation of
encryption that would establish the signal strength of the computer that it
was to communicating with and lock it, so that anyone else trying to listen
in with the same card would have to have the same amplitude signal, ie
radius or scaled amplitude using their antenna in both directions. This
would make it more specialized to hack into - or even better, knowing if
the connection has been hacked and where information has gone.

I don't know how to communicate this to the community, and I don't appear
to be on a mailing list. Could you please add me because, I'm very
interested in getting parts and creating a wireless connection.

Kind regards,
Jame Gardiner

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