Wardriving

I went out wardriving today

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wardriving>

Wardriving, for those that don't know, is getting a WiFi scanner and a
GPS system and going for a drive.

The iPhone 3G is a good utility for this as it has integrated WiFi and
GPS capabilities. I used the WiFiFoFum app, set it to scan every 3
seconds and then drove home from work. In the four mile journey home
I logged nearly 300 unique WiFi access points.

When I got home I extracted the KML file and threw it at Google Earth.
The SSID is logged, mac address, WiFi channel, RSSI, and security.
It's quite scary. I was quite shocked to find quite so many networks
were logged as "Security: NONE".

A picture of part of my journey:

<http://www.flickr.com/photos/hayn0r/3424305925/sizes/o/>

There are so many that Google Earth has dimmed many of the pushpins,
but each pin, including the dark ones, represents at LEAST one active
WiFi network, whether hidden or otherwise.

Points of note: (not displayed on image above) A local 'forces' (ahem)
area has three hidden WiFi networks, all protected with WEP. So
secure.

 

As I have a GPS dongle that works with my MacBook - is there a good
piece of software to try the same experiment?

--
Gavin.

For the road: GSXR600K1
For the track: <gone>
For everything else: Citroën Berlingo

MSN:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/gavin_wilby

 

Why?

 

I helped my Niece (remotely) set up her new Vista laptop on her Orange
router and it seems you have to 'pair' new devices with the router
before you can do anything (thank you Google).

I turned on WPA once we got it all going but the hard pairing seemed a
pretty secure idea?

T i m

 

That sounds like MAC white-listing to me.

 

Could be, implemented in a user friendly way (pairing) but assuming
there are no entries already in there to spoof, quite secure. ;-)

T i m

 

Quite secure in the sense that it stops unwanted parties sending traffic
on the network unless they spoof their MAC but it doesn't stop them
receiving a copy of every frame on the, er, wire.

 

I think I've invented a new word. Laura was called by friends last night,
demanding that she come to the pub and drink with them. Then they started
ringing round everyone they knew, cajoling them to come out to the pub, and
ended up with about 15-20 people.

She was telling me about it this morning, just as I'd been reading about
wardriving and wardialling and stuff, and I had a moment of clarity:
beerdialling.

 

That sort of shit can get people in trouble, don't you know ...

Paul.

 

Nothing wrong with a bit of danger, biker boy.

 

you're just so "down wit' the kids", uncle.

 

Knows it.

 

ORLY?

 

Wow, the most unintersting post i think i have ever read!

 

you don't read your own stuff, then?

 

Given the amount of typos i spit out, no.

 

Beat me to it. Seems a fairly pointless activity.

--
Malc

Rusted and ropy.
Dog-eared old copy.
Vintage and classic,
or just plain Jurassic:
all words to describe me.

 

And MAC spoofing doesn't actually take a genius-level IQ.

Phil

 

LFPO

 

I *never* have any trouble finding unsecured networks, you'll find
them anywhere there are people, indeed last Sunday in Paris I walked
up Avenue Foch checking emails on my N95 courtesy of some Embassy or
other on an unsecured network called "Princessbedroom" !! (oddly it
was in English)