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Subject Author Date
Security and wireless internet Erik 12-08-2006
Posted by Erik on December 8, 2006, 4:12 am
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Some families in my neighbourhood are using wireless internet without any
security.

I know that using security (password or Mac-address filtering) is often
advisable, but I would like to know better what risks are involved by having
an open wireless network:

1) Can virus spread across a wireless network between computers which are
only sharing the internet connection?

2) Is it possible for users sharing an internet connection to gain access to
files on other computers sharing the connection?


Thank you

Erik



Posted by =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Lassi_Hippel=E4 on December 8, 2006, 5:27 am
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Erik wrote:
> Some families in my neighbourhood are using wireless internet without any
> security.
>
> I know that using security (password or Mac-address filtering) is often
> advisable, but I would like to know better what risks are involved by having
> an open wireless network:
>
> 1) Can virus spread across a wireless network between computers which are
> only sharing the internet connection?

Yes, if the network is configured in a suitable way.

> 2) Is it possible for users sharing an internet connection to gain access to
> files on other computers sharing the connection?

Yes, if the network is configured in a suitable way.

But the main reason for protecting the network is to avoid inappropriate
use of the internet connection. Not just overloading it, but sending
spam, or attacking remote computers. There have been several cases in
several countries where the owner of an open WLAN was accused for a
crime that was perpetrated by an anonymous visitor.

An open WLAN is like an open wound in the belly of the Internet.

-- Lassi

Posted by Todd H. on December 8, 2006, 10:29 am
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> Some families in my neighbourhood are using wireless internet without any
> security.
>
> I know that using security (password or Mac-address filtering) is often
> advisable, but I would like to know better what risks are involved by having
> an open wireless network:
>
> 1) Can virus spread across a wireless network between computers which are
> only sharing the internet connection?
>
> 2) Is it possible for users sharing an internet connection to gain access to
> files on other computers sharing the connection?

answered in the other group you also posted this too.

For future reference, cross posting vs separate or multi-posting helps
keep the question and and replies less fragmented.

--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

Posted by Unruh on December 8, 2006, 1:03 pm
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>Some families in my neighbourhood are using wireless internet without any
>security.

>I know that using security (password or Mac-address filtering) is often
>advisable, but I would like to know better what risks are involved by having
>an open wireless network:

>1) Can virus spread across a wireless network between computers which are
>only sharing the internet connection?

Perhaps.

>2) Is it possible for users sharing an internet connection to gain access to
>files on other computers sharing the connection?

Perhaps.

If someone gets onto the internal net, there are almost never any firewalls
between the computers and that wireless. Ie, you lose all of the defence
that any firewall has.
Aalso since it is on the internal network, the computers may be set up for
file sharing ( network neighbourhood) between any two computers on the net.
Clearly that also is a disaster.

If each computer is set up under the assumption it is completely accessible
and defences on that computer itself have been set up under that assumption
then the possiblility of security comprimise is lessened.

However the rogue user can mimic that internal network, get free downloads
(eg if you have limits on the amount of material you can download/upload)
spam others as if it came from you (it does) etc.



>Thank you

>Erik



Posted by Volker Birk on December 9, 2006, 6:21 pm
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> 1) Can virus spread across a wireless network between computers which are
> only sharing the internet connection?
> 2) Is it possible for users sharing an internet connection to gain access to
> files on other computers sharing the connection?

If there are file services enabled on this computers: yes.

Yours,
VB.
--
"Life was simple before World War II. After that, we had systems."
        Grace Hopper

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