Question

Background: The advantage of wireless signals is that they radiate out in all directions, even penetrating walls to a certain extent. Of course, the very ability of wireless signals also causes problems.

Answer the following questions:

• Describe a situation where we would want to block a wireless signal
• Describe a method to block the signal and provide a link to a source for your method or materials
• Give at least one reason why someone might find your solution impractical

Answer 1

Answer:-

Describe a situation where we would want to block a wireless signal

you should be aware of the need to secure traditional, wired internet connections.* * For detailed information on securing wired home networks, see “Home Network Security” . If you’re planning to move to a wireless connection in your home, take a moment to consider what you’re doing: You’re connecting a device to your DSL or cable modem that broadcasts your internet connection through the air over a radio signal to your computers. If traditional wired connections are prey to security problems, think of the security problems that arise when you open your internet connection to the airwaves. The following sections describe some of the threats to home wireless networks.

• Availability: is the network available to users whenever it is supposed to be

Confidentiality

The main way to ensure that data is not disclosed to unauthorised users is by encrypting it during transit, and wireless networks are able to do this in just the same way as wired networks. However, encryption is meaningless without authentication, since an unauthorised user could authenticate themselves onto the network and then be given the key with which to decrypt the data.

The traditional model for authorisation is to have some form of centralised system which stores access control lists. This model is fine for use in networks which have a relatively static set of users, and so is suitable for Wi-Fi, but in other networks such as Bluetooth networks, which are much more ad-hoc in nature, this approach becomes impractical. In ad-hoc networks, not only does the dynamically changing set of users make updating access control lists infeasible in terms of cost, but there is also no guarantee that these devices would be able to access any central system. In these systems, a better approach is to form secure transient associations between devices, where the decision on who to trust is made either by each device, or by one master device which instructs the slave devices on how to behave.

There is a lot of interest in this model for applications such as controlling police weapons. In America, a large proportion of injuries to police officers come from stolen police guns. If each officer had a very short range ring (the master) associated with the gun (the slave) it would prevent anyone other than that officer from using the weapon.

Integrity

Because packets of data in wireless networks are sent through the air, they can be intercepted and modified quite easily by malicious users. This means that wireless networks are more vulnerable to attacks on the integrity of data. However, the current methods used by wired networks to ensure the integrity of packets, such as checksums, are perfectly adequate for ensuring the integrity of packets in wireless networks, and so no novel solutions have been adopted.

Availability

Wireless networks are particularly susceptible to DoS (Denial of Service) attacks. Unlike wired networks, which require the attacker to be physically connected to the network in some way before they can launch such an attack,� with wireless networks an attacker only has to be within a certain range of the network (usually 100m) to be able to launch such an attack. These kind of attacks are particularly difficult to stop since network providers want to allow legitimate users to initiate communications with the network, and cannot stop malicious users from exploiting this to cause a denial of service.

Another way in which malicious users can potentially restrict the availability of the wireless networks is through radio jamming. This involves sending out a lot of noise on the same frequency as the network uses. However, there are techniques, such as frequency hopping which can make this kind of attack more difficult. Also, this threat is less relevant in the non-military world since the 'jammer' could be reported to the police and arrested.

Describe a method to block the signal and provide a link to a source for your method or materials

Use Encryption on Your Wireless Network

Once you go wireless, you should encrypt the information you send over your wireless network, so that nearby attackers can’t eavesdrop on these communications. Encryption scrambles the information you send into a code so that it’s not accessible to others. Using encryption is the most effective way to secure your network from intruders.

Two main types of encryption are available for this purpose: Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). Your computer, router, and other equipment must use the same encryption. WPA2 is strongest; use it if you have a choice. It should protect you against most hackers. Some older routers use only WEP encryption, which likely won’t protect you from some common hacking programs. Consider buying a new router with WPA2 capability.

Wireless routers often come with the encryption feature turned off. You must turn it on. The directions that come with your router should explain how. If they don't, check the company’s website.

Limit Access to Your Network

Allow only specific devices to access your wireless network. Every device that is able to communicate with a network is assigned a unique Media Access Control (MAC) address. Wireless routers usually have a mechanism to allow only devices with particular MAC addresses to access to the network. Some hackers have mimicked MAC addresses, so don't rely on this step alone.

Secure Your Router

It’s also important to protect your network from attacks over the internet by keeping your router secure. Your router directs traffic between your local network and the internet. So, it’s your first line of defense for guarding against such attacks. If you don't take steps to secure your router, strangers could gain access to sensitive personal or financial information on your device. Strangers also could seize control of your router, to direct you to fraudulent websites.

Change the name of your router from the default. The name of your router (often called the service set identifier or SSID) is likely to be a standard, default ID assigned by the manufacturer. Change the name to something unique that only you know.

Change your router's pre-set password(s). The manufacturer of your wireless router probably assigned it a standard default password that allows you to set up and operate the router, as its “administrator.” Hackers know these default passwords, so change it to something only you know. The same goes for any default “user” passwords. Use long and complex passwords – think at least 12 characters, with a mix of numbers, symbols, and upper and lower case letters. Visit the company’s website to learn how to change the password.

Turn off any “Remote Management” features. Some routers offer an option to allow remote access to your router’s controls, such as to enable the manufacturer to provide technical support. Never leave this feature enabled. Hackers can use them to get into your home network.   

Log out as Administrator: Once you’ve set up your router, log out as administrator, to lessen the risk that someone can piggyback on your session to gain control of your device.

Keep your router up-to-date: To be secure and effective, the software that comes with your router needs occasional updates. Before you set up a new router and periodically thereafter, visit the manufacturer’s website to see if there’s a new version of t

Piggybacking

If you fail to secure your wireless network, anyone with a wireless-enabled computer in range of your access point can utilize your connection. The typical indoor broadcast range of an access point is 150 – 300 feet. Outdoors, this range may extend as far as 1,000 feet. So, if your neighborhood is closely settled, or if you live in an apartment or condominium, failure to secure your wireless network could potentially open your internet connection to many unintended users. These users may be able to conduct illegal activity, monitor and capture your web traffic, or steal personal files.

Wardriving

Wardriving is a specific kind of piggybacking. The broadcast range of a wireless access point can make internet connections available outside your home, even as far away as your street. Savvy computer users know this, and some have made a hobby out of driving through cities and neighborhoods with a wireless-equipped computer—sometimes with a powerful antenna— searching for unsecured wireless networks. This practice is known as “wardriving.”

Evil Twin Attacks

In an evil twin attack, an adversary gathers information about a public network access point, then sets up their system to impersonate it. The adversary uses a broadcast signal stronger than the one generated by the legitimate access point, then, unsuspecting users connect using the stronger signal. Because the victim is connecting to the internet through the attacker’s system, it’s easy for the attacker to use specialized tools to read any data the victim sends over the internet. This data may include credit card numbers, username and password combinations, and other personal information. Always confirm the name and password of a public Wi-Fi hotspot prior to use. This will ensure you are connecting to a trusted access point.

Wireless Sniffing

Many public access points are not secured and the traffic they carry is not encrypted. This can put your sensitive communications or transactions at risk. Because your connection is being transmitted “in the clear,” malicious actors could use sniffing tools to obtain sensitive information such as passwords or credit card numbers. Ensure that all the access points you connect to use at least WPA2 encryption.

Unauthorized Computer Access

An unsecured public wireless network combined with unsecured file sharing could allow a malicious user to access any directories and files you have unintentionally made available for sharing. Ensure that when you connect your devices to public networks that you deny sharing files and folders. Only allow sharing on recognized home networks, and only while it is necessary to share items. When not needed, ensure that file sharing is disabled. This will help prevent an unknown attacker from accessing your device’s files.

Shoulder Surfing

In public areas malicious actors can simply glance over your shoulder as you type. By simply watching you, they can steal sensitive or personal information. Screen protectors which prevent shoulder-surfers from seeing your device screen can be purchased for little money. For smaller devices, such as phones, be cognizant of your surroundings while viewing sensitive information or entering passwords.

he software available for download. To make sure you hear about the latest version, register your router with the manufacturer and sign up to get updates.

Give at least one reason why someone might find your solution impractical