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The Impact of War Driving on Wireless Networks

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The Impact of War Driving on Wireless Networks ISSN:2231-0711 Ch.Sai Priya et al | IJCSET |June 2013 | Vol 3, Issue 6, 230-235 The Impact of War Driving On Wireless Networks Ch.Sai Priya, Syed Umar, T Sirisha Department of ECM, KL University, A.P., INDIA. Abstract — Wardriving is searching for Wi-Fi wireless WarDriving originated from wardialing, a technique networks by moving vehicle. It involves using a car or truck popularized by a character played by Matthew Broderick in and a Wi-Fi-equipped computer, such as a laptop or a PDA, to the film WarGames, and named after that film. Wardialing detect the networks. It was also known as 'WiLDing' (Wireless in this context refers to the practice of using a computer to LAN Driving).Many wardrivers use GPS devices to measure dial many phone numbers in the hopes of finding an active the location of the network find and log it on a website. For better range, antennas are built or bought, and vary from modem. Omni directional to highly directional. Software for A WarDriver drives around an area, often after mapping a wardriving is freely available on the Internet, notably, Nets route out first, to determine all of the wireless access points tumbler for Windows, Kismet for Linux, and KisMac for in that area. Once these access points are discovered, a Macintosh. WarDriver uses a software program or Web site to map the results of his efforts. Based on these results, a Keywords — Wardriving, hacking, wireless, wifi cracking. statistical analysis is performed. This statistical analysis can be of one drive, one area, or a general overview of all 1. INTRODUCTION wireless networks During the fall of 2000,Shipley Wardriving is searching for Wi-Fi wireless networks by conducted an 18-month survey of wireless networks in moving vehicle. Wardriving was first developed by Pete Berkeley, California and reported his results at the annual Shipley in April 2001. It involves using a car or truck and a DefCon hacker conference in July of 2001.This Wi-Fi equipped computer, such as a laptop or a PDA, to presentation, designed to raise awareness of the insecurity detect the networks. Many wardrivers use GPS devices to of wireless networks that were deployed at that time, laid measure the location of the network find and log it on a the groundwork for the "true" WarDriver. website. For better range, antennas are built or bought, and vary from Omni directional to highly directional. Software 1.2 WARDRIVING MISCONCEPTIONS for wardriving is freely available on the Internet, notably, These days, you might hear people confuse the terminology NetStumbler for Windows, Kismet for Linux, and KisMac WarDriver and Hacker. As you probably know, the term for Macintosh. The gathering of statistics about wireless hacker was originally used to describe a person that was networks in a given area by listening for their publicly able to modify a computer (often in a way unintended by its available broadcast beacons is War Driving. Wireless manufacturer) to suit his or her own purposes. However, access points (APs) announce their presence at set intervals over time, owing to the confusion of the masses and (usually every 100 milliseconds) by road casting a packet consistent media abuse, the term hacker is now commonly containing their service set identifier (SSID; basically, the used to describe a criminal; someone that accesses a user-defined name of the access point) and several other computer or network without the authorization of the data items. A stumbling utility running on a portable owner. The same situation can be applied to the term computer of some sort (a laptop or PDA) listens for these WarDriver. WarDriver has been misused to describe broadcasts and records the data that the AP makes publicly someone that accesses wireless networks without available. Wireless networks have become a way of life in authorization from the owner. An individual that accesses a the past two years. As more wireless computer system, wired or wireless, without authorization Networks are deployed; the need to secure them increases. is a criminal. Criminality has nothing to do with either The activity of driving around discovering wireless access hacking or WarDriving. The news media, in an effort to points is called WarDriving. In order to successfully generate ratings and increase viewership, has WarDrive, there are some tools, both hardware and sensationalized WarDriving. Almost every local television software. Wardriving is a fun hobby that has the potential news outlet has done a story on "wireless hackers armed to make a difference in the overall security posture of with laptops" or "drive-by hackers" that are reading your e- wireless networking. mail or using your wireless network to surf the Web. These Wardriving Division Of Computer Science, SOE, CUSAT 1.1 THE ORIGIN OF WARDRIVING 3 stories are geared to propagate Fear, Uncertainty, and WarDriving is an activity that is misunderstood by many Doubt (FUD). FUD stories usually take a small risk, and people. This applies to both the general public, and to the attempt to elevate the seriousness of the situation in the news media that has reported on WarDriving. Because the minds of their audience. Stories that prey on fear are good name "WarDriving'* has an ominous sound to it, many for ratings, but don't always depict an activity accurately. people associate WarDriving with a criminal activity An unfortunate side effect of these stories has been that the Available online @ www.ijcset.net 230 Ch.Sai Priya et al | IJCSET |June 2013 | Vol 3, Issue 6, 230-235 ISSN:2231-0711 reporters invariably ask the "WarDriver" to gather 2.1 Getting the hardware: information that is being transmitted across a wireless The following sections discuss potential equipment network so that the "victim" can be shown their personal acquisitions and common configurations for each. Getting information that was collected. Again, this has nothing to the Hardware You will need some form of hardware to use do with WarDriving and while a case can be made that this with your WarDriving equipment. There are two primary activity (known as sniffing) in and of itself is not illegal, it setups that WarDrivers utilize: is at a minimum unethical and is not a practice that > The Laptop Setup WarDrivers engage in. These stories also tend to focus on > The PDA Setup gimmicky aspects of WarDriving such as the directional antenna that can be made using a Pringles can. While a functional antenna can be made from Pringles cans, coffee cans, soup cans, or pretty much anything cylindrical and hollow, the reality is that very few (if any) WarDrivers actually use these for WarDriving. Many of them have made these antennas in an attempt to both verify the original concept and improve upon it in some instances from the Underground. 1.3. THE TRUTH ABOUT WARDRIVING The reality of WarDriving is simple. Computer security professionals, hobbyists, and others are generally interested in providing information to the public about security vulnerabilities that are present with "out of the box" configurations of wireless access points. Wireless access points that can be purchased at a local electronics or computer store are not geared toward security. They are designed so that a person with little or no understanding of networking can purchase a wireless access point, and with little or no outside help, set it up and begin using it. Figure 1: WarDrving Kit Computers have become a staple of everyday life. Technology that makes using computers easier and more The Laptop Setup: fun needs to be available to everyone. Companies such as The most commonly used WarDriving setup utilizes a Linksys and DLink have been very successful at making laptop computer. To WarDrive with a laptop, you need these new technologies easy for end users to set up several pieces of hardware and at least one WarDriving Wardriving Division Of Computer Science, SOE, CUSAT software program. A successful laptop WarDriving setup 4 and begin using. To do otherwise would alienate a large includes: part of their target market. According to the FBI, it is not A laptop computer illegal to scan access points, but once a theft of service, A wireless NIC Card denial of service, or theft of information occurs, then it An external antenna becomes a federal violation. While this is good, general A pigtail to connect the external antenna to the information, any questions about the legality of a specific wireless NIC act in the United States should be posed directly to either A handheld global positioning system (GPS) unit the local FBI field office, a cyber crime attorney, or the A GPS data cable U.S. Attorney's office. This information only applies to the A WarDriving software program United States. WarDrivers are encouraged to investigate the A cigarette lighter or AC adapter power inverter local laws where they live to ensure that they aren't inadvertently violating the law. Understanding the distinction between "scanning" or identifying wireless access points and actually using the access point is understanding the difference between WarDriving, a legal activity, and theft, an obviously illegal activity. 2. HOW CAN WE GO WARDRIVING? This section will introduce you to all of the tools that are required in order to successfully WarDrive and how we can do WarDriving. There are several different configurations that can be effectively used for WarDriving, including: 1. Getting the hardware 2. Choosing a wireless network card. 3. Deciding on an external antenna 4. Connecting your antenna to your wireless NIC Figure 2. The Laptop Setup 5. Mapping the access points. Available online @ www.ijcset.net 231 Ch.Sai Priya et al | IJCSET |June 2013 | Vol 3, Issue 6, 230-235 ISSN:2231-0711 The Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) Setup: supported by WarDriving software under certain PDAs are the perfect accessory for the WarDriver because conditions.
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