RE: Wireless LAN question

From: Bryan Allerdice (hacker@cotse.com)
Date: 07/01/02 

From: "Bryan Allerdice" <hacker@cotse.com>
To: "Johnson, Wayne" <wjohnson@azautomotive.com>, <security-basics@securityfocus.com>
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 15:50:55 -0400

Here is a crazy and untested idea. Suggestions from readers as to how it
WOULD work or WOULDN'T work are encouraged...

Maybe what you could do is get a fix on the intruders data transfer rate
while he is happily stealing your access. With that base value known, you
could do something to block the signals being sent / received by the
wireless access point (the router or whatever) on a directional basis.
Imagine walking around the device with a shield that stops the signals from
flying out to the intruder. At some point in your circle around the device,
you will be standing between the device and the intruder, and his signal
will drop down or out. By watching the data transfer rate I imagine you'd be
able to tell when you are standing in the right place. This could give you a
rough directional fix in the intruder.

Now I know that the radio signals bounce around, so you couldn't really
expect to drop an intruders access total by shielding in the manner I just
mentioned, but surely you can interfere with the signal enough to notice a
drop in transfer rate?

Perhaps an expert on the propagation of radio waves can speak up and talk a
little more about whether this idea has merit.

Also, what would the best kind of shield be, or is there something around
the house / office you could use, like a frying pan or trash can lid.
(Sorry, I've been watching too much MacGyver)

BRYAN ALLERDICE

-----Original Message-----
From: Johnson, Wayne [mailto:wjohnson@azautomotive.com]
Sent: Monday, July 01, 2002 10:15 AM
To: security-basics@securityfocus.com
Subject: RE: Wireless LAN question

I doubt it. A GPS device is a receiver, not a transmitter. Unless he sends
his GPS data over your network :)

It occurs to me that you could do a little preparation work with a wireless
laptop. By walking around your wireless coverage area you could identify
public areas that have good signal strength. That might reduce the number of
places you have to look. While the technique is probably useless in a large
campus environment, it might be useful in a smaller single building
environment.
-Wayne

-----Original Message-----
From: David Laganière [mailto:spanska@securinet.qc.ca]
Sent: Friday, June 28, 2002 10:05 AM
To: security-basics@securityfocus.com
Subject: Wireless LAN question

Hi!

Say an intruder connect himself to my wireless LAN, is there a way with
a GPS and it's signal to know where he is physically? Where can I get
more documentation on that?

Thanks. 

--
David Laganière
Network/System Administrator
www: http://www.securinet.qc.ca/
email: spanska@securinet.qc.ca

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