XP has a net stumbler type program built in? and tsk tsk BestBuy, XP told me I could join your unsecured network

[Slacker]

I was making some notes on my laptop after leaving best buy when my laptop with XP home installed informed me that there was a wireless network connection available! The networks name? "BestBuy" the security measures and authentication required to connect? NONE!

I didnt try connecting but it looked like all I would have had to do was click the "connect" button.

Anyone know about this, is it a service they provide? or is it their store network? I cant believe they would have an unsecured wireless network for business use :roll:

 

[Nebor]

It's probably just a wireless router they have in the store for all the demo computers to have internet access. They're actual office computers are most likely on a hard wired network.

 

[Slacker]

Holy shi+ you joined less than a year ago and you have 700++ post more than me!

If it is just a net connection I guess it is no big deal, its not like people are going to sit in the parking lot and surf on their connection

 

[thirtythree]

Originally posted by: Slacker
If it is just a net connection I guess it is no big deal, its not like people are going to sit in the parking lot and surf on their connection

hmm...

 

[ThisIsMatt]

It could have had mac address filtering, which isn't secure at all, but it would keep most people off.

 

[Slacker]

On the other hand, CompUsa has a Barnes and Noble next to it in a strip mall, there is a coffe shop against the wall that divides the stores, Hmmmm indeed :evil:

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: ThisIsMatt
It could have had mac address filtering, which isn't secure at all, but it would keep most people off.

how secure is a combination of MAC address filtering and WEP (which is what i use).

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: Slacker
On the other hand, CompUsa has a Barnes and Noble next to it in a strip mall, there is a coffe shop against the wall that divides the stores, Hmmmm indeed :evil:

They probably wouldn't notice or care if you used their network. You're just kind of assuming their network is connected to the internet though.

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: Slacker
On the other hand, CompUsa has a Barnes and Noble next to it in a strip mall, there is a coffe shop against the wall that divides the stores, Hmmmm indeed :evil:

I gotta take my laptop to the mall and see what WiFi signals it picks up.

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

Originally posted by: ThisIsMatt
It could have had mac address filtering, which isn't secure at all, but it would keep most people off.

how secure is a combination of MAC address filtering and WEP (which is what i use).

Very secure. But I pity the fool who hacks my network. It's cat5e based. I'll know just where to find him. :evil:

 

[Slacker]

I am using mac filtering along with 128bit WEP and disabled Broadcast wireless network name (SSID) on my 802.11g router

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: Slacker
I am using mac filtering along with 128bit WEP and disabled Broadcast wireless network name (SSID) on my 802.11g router

You need 256 bit WEP!!! You'll get haxxored! Spys are closing in to route through your "My Documents" folder and steal your million dollar ideas!!!

 

[Slacker]

Originally posted by: Nebor

Originally posted by: Slacker
I am using mac filtering along with 128bit WEP and disabled Broadcast wireless network name (SSID) on my 802.11g router

You need 256 bit WEP!!! You'll get haxxored! Spys are closing in to route through your "My Documents" folder and steal your million dollar ideas!!!

I just wanna make sure they dont leech my Pr0n :|

 

[DJFuji]

? i thought WEP was like 56 bit? something like that...

I've connected to a hotspot in walmart once. And the mall in SD county usually have access points, but many are locked down and want you to pay for access. Victoria's Secret, however, seemed to have a wide open linksys router at the Escondido Mall. I let my gf shop there for as LONG as she wanted to last time...

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: DJFuji
? i thought WEP was like 56 bit? something like that...

I've connected to a hotspot in walmart once. And the mall in SD county usually have access points, but many are locked down and want you to pay for access. Victoria's Secret, however, seemed to have a wide open linksys router at the Escondido Mall. I let my gf shop there for as LONG as she wanted to last time...

And you wouldn't let her shop there as long as she wanted usually? I don't see the losing part of this scenario.

 

[sygyzy]

1. It was discovered a while ago that BestBuy uses wireless to transmit transaction data, unencrypted. Since then, they revamped their system. I doubt you would have been able to join without authentication.
2. Windows's built in wireless networking is not quite the same as Netstumbler. I am surprised you are so impressed with it and even more surprised that you didn't know it existed. How long have you owned a notebook with wireless?

 

[Slacker]

Originally posted by: sygyzy
1. It was discovered a while ago that BestBuy uses wireless to transmit transaction data, unencrypted. Since then, they revamped their system. I doubt you would have been able to join without authentication.
2. Windows's built in wireless networking is not quite the same as Netstumbler. I am surprised you are so impressed with it and even more surprised that you didn't know it existed. How long have you owned a notebook with wireless?

I just got it last friday, the wireless connection program said something along the lines of unsecured, no security key or encryption in use, it warned me against joining because of vulnerability and security risk to my computer.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

Originally posted by: ThisIsMatt
It could have had mac address filtering, which isn't secure at all, but it would keep most people off.

how secure is a combination of MAC address filtering and WEP (which is what i use).

64bit or higher?

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: ThisIsMatt

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

Originally posted by: ThisIsMatt
It could have had mac address filtering, which isn't secure at all, but it would keep most people off.

how secure is a combination of MAC address filtering and WEP (which is what i use).

64bit or higher?

i use 64 bit because to be honest. i don't really have any data i think is that valuable.

my 128 uses too much bandwidth.

basically, it chases away the casual hacker. but if someone is determined to crack my network i'm sure they could.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

Originally posted by: ThisIsMatt

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

Originally posted by: ThisIsMatt
It could have had mac address filtering, which isn't secure at all, but it would keep most people off.

how secure is a combination of MAC address filtering and WEP (which is what i use).

64bit or higher?

i use 64 bit because to be honest. i don't really have any data i think is that valuable.

my 128 uses too much bandwidth.

basically, it chases away the casual hacker. but if someone is determined to crack my network i'm sure they could.

Yeah, they could pretty easily. Although, if your computers are all on all the time, then the restricted mac addresses will be in use so there will be conflicts there. 64bit wep is pretty useless.

 

[CrabAss]

Originally posted by: Slacker
I was making some notes on my laptop after leaving best buy when my laptop with XP home installed informed me that there was a wireless network connection available! The networks name? "BestBuy" the security measures and authentication required to connect? NONE!

I didnt try connecting but it looked like all I would have had to do was click the "connect" button.

Anyone know about this, is it a service they provide? or is it their store network? I cant believe they would have an unsecured wireless network for business use :roll:

Check this link out.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3078572/

 

[Nothinman]

i use 64 bit because to be honest. i don't really have any data i think is that valuable.

People forget that it's not their data that most breakins are after, unless you're a big company with enemies, but usually they want to either just use your Internet connection for some reason or they could be trying to break into your machine to install a backdoor for later use. It's always nice to have control of a few machines handy that can't be traced back to you for those rainy days. And if they want to 'borrow' your Internet connection you have to suspect they want to do something illegal or they'd just use their own, I remember a story about a guy who got caught downloading child porn in his car while using an open WAP, if he hadn't gotten caught in the act and the ISP had noticed the owners of the WAP could have been responsible.

 

[GeSuN]

In the same line of idea :


http://securityfocus.com/columnists/246

 

[AFB]

It is also common for people to use unsecure networks to comit Internet based crimes. ie hacking, child porn, ect...

 

[Slacker]

Originally posted by: Slacker
On the other hand, CompUsa has a Barnes and Noble next to it in a strip mall, there is a coffe shop against the wall that divides the stores, Hmmmm indeed :evil:

Yes, I am quoting myself, anyway...............

I am posting from that very same Barnes and Noble, the coffee shop is now a starbucks, when I turned on my laptop it came up as a "Cometa Hotspot" I dont know if they charge for it or what but it didnt require any reconfiguring, just opened I.E. and was on the internet.