Question WPS safe for a minute and then turn off?

[sxr7171]

I'm just wondering if it is safe to turn on WPS to pair a printer for example and then switch it off?

Would my network be forever compromised by that pairing?

 

[SamirD]

I wouldn't mess with it personally. I would just use the printer web interface to set it up--they all have one now. wps and upnp are two of the easiest attack vectors.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I'm a bit curious. Given "opposition", in close physical proximity to the location of the BT device/dongle or Wifi router/device, aren't these sort of "physical push-button pairing" schemes a bit ... risky? Don't they essentially require all of your neighbors to be blissfully-ignorant of you initiating the pairing process, and hoping that no-one is listening in, or worse, actively MITM'ing the pairing?

 

[SamirD]

Pretty much.

 

[Leeea]

just do it

turn it on, pair, turn it off

 

[fkoehler]

Unless you live in a congested, high population density location, you're probably fine.

However as said, why not just have the printer print out its network page, connect to it, and configure it directly to put if on the wifi?

 

[aigomorla]

I'm just wondering if it is safe to turn on WPS to pair a printer for example and then switch it off?

Would my network be forever compromised by that pairing?

are you a bank, or a financial institution? Something where you have some form of information which people would want to gain access to?
Or do you live in a high density apartment complex or college dorm which houses a lot of bored students / kids / people that have nothing better to do then to see which wifi is open because they are too poor to get there own ISP?

Otherwise id say yes, its safe to turn on and pair, and turn off.
Chances are no one is interested in the porn you have behind your firewall, as they probably all have it already too unless your into weird stuff.
(Last line is a joke... please don't take offense)

But seriously, i highly doubt you will get compromised unless you have a hardcore stalker which wants access to your home network.

Don't they essentially require all of your neighbors to be blissfully-ignorant of you initiating the pairing process, and hoping that no-one is listening in, or worse, actively MITM'ing the pairing?

This is true, but you would have to know he turned on WPS.
Its a game of chance.

If no one cares, then no one will try.

If you got someone who wants your pictures off your iphone NAS dump, then chances are you need something even stronger then what you already have. So your in essence Damned if you, and Damned if you don't so to speak.

But high chances are if you asking this question, none of the above will actually apply to you, unless your a celebrity of some sort and you decided to go cheap on your IT guy who installed the home network. But again, if thats the case, the IT guy most likely already put a back door in your network to either:

1. remote fix stuff if they break.
2. because he wants your iphone NAS dump.

So its already too late...

 

[ch33zw1z]

Forever compromised? Not really. Is WPS required for the printer, doubtful