[Full-Disclosure] Automated wireless client penetration tool "hotspotter" released.

From: Max Moser (mmo_at_remote-exploit.org)
Date: 04/05/04

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    To: full-disclosure@lists.netsys.com
    Date: Mon, 5 Apr 2004 01:27:52 +0200
    
    

    I would like to announce the availability of a proof of concept tool
    release. Hotspotter automates a method of penetration against wireless
    clients, independent of the encryption mechanism used. Get it at
    http://www.remote-exploit.org now.

    Feel free to provide feedback, below you will find some further
    information copied from the README file.

    Greetings

    Max Moser

    Background:
    -----------
    During a wireless assessment for a customer some time ago, I discovered
    a
    strange characteristic of the Microsoft Windows XP wireless client. It
    was
    possible to bring the client from a secure EAP/TLS network to an
    insecure one
    without any warnings from the operating system. I discovered this was
    due to
    the configuration of multiple wireless profiles. One profile was
    established
    for the EAP/TLS network, and a second for the "ANY" network, using an
    empty
    network name (SSID).

    To evaluate this configuration, I established my own access point using
    the
    same SSID as the EAP/TLS network, without the privacy bit set (no
    encryption).
    Due to the configuration of the Windows XP client, I was able to force
    the
    client to switch to my network with a single deauthenticate frame; at
    which
    point the client reconnected to my "rogue" access point. The victim
    station did
    not receive a warning from the operating system to indicate they left
    their
    production network, only a small indicator for temporary wireless
    signal.

    With this attack, I was able to force a client to leave their secure
    wireless
    network and reconnect to my rogue network, albeit at a loss of network
    connectivity. This allowed me to evaluate the host-based security of
    the
    victim host, without the protection of the EAP/TLS network.

    This behaviour seems to be fixed in Windows XP Service Pack 1. I was
    unable to
    locate any documentation in the Microsoft Knowledge Base that indicated
    the
    resolution of this flaw, but there is a remaining vulnerability that
    can also
    be exploited based configured wireless profiles.

    A Windows XP client will probe for all the preferred network names
    listed in
    the wireless client configuration during startup, powersave-wakeup and
    when the
    driver reports signal loss for the current network name. Many coporate
    wireless users configure Windows XP with a business profile (secure
    network
    profile) and several other network names including commercial hotspots
    and home
    networks (insecure network profiles). Due to this configuration, it is
    possible to force a client to disclose the list of configured profiles,
    and
    then establish a connection to a rogue network using one of the
    preferred
    network names. Depending on the configuration of the wireless client,
    the
    client will display a bubble message indicating it has joined a
    different
    wireless network name.

    Once the associates to the rogue network, it is possible to interact
    with the
    client directly. This may include port scanning the victim, exploiting
    Windows-based vulnerabilities or simulating an otherwise "real" network
    using
    faked services and intercepted DNS queries.

    Note that the Apple OS X client exhibits similar behaviour, although it
    has not
    been thoroughly tested at this time.

    Automated penetration using Hotspotter
    --------------------------------------
    Hotspotter was written to exploit this weakness in the Windows XP Wlan
    client
    system. Hotspotter passively monitors the network for probe request
    frames to
    identify the preferred networks of Windows XP clients, and will compare
    it to a
    supplied list of common hotspot network names. If the probed network
    name
    matches a common hotspot name, Hotspotter will act as an access point
    to allow
    the client to authenticate and associate. Once associated, Hotspotter
    can be
    configured to run a command, possibly a script to kick off a DHCP
    daemon and
    other scanning against the new victim.

    _______________________________________________
    Full-Disclosure - We believe in it.
    Charter: http://lists.netsys.com/full-disclosure-charter.html


  • Next message: Mike Smith: "RE: Re[2]: [Full-Disclosure] Re: [FD] FD should block attachments"

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