Beware: Contagious airborne WiFi virus can spread like common cold

Hi MaXimus
 
How are you today?  Well, I hope?
 
Yup, not nice...if you are looking for more info and a place to discuss then check out this thread that Jasper started yesterday.
 
Makes sense to try to keep threads on the same subject to a minimum.
 
Hope that you do not mind me mentioning this. ;)
 
Also, a quick tip...Jasper is our currently 'unoffical' resident security threat news item poster (or URSTNIP :p) as he seems to have an uncanny knack of getting to most stories of interest before the rest of us, and I stress most not all.  So I always check here to see what he has scooped before I post a story. 
 
HTH?
 
Regards
 
 
Baldrick

no problem man and I'm good thanks for asking.

this is one friendly community I must tell you, you should see how hostile people are on other forums

Hi MaXimus
 
Thanks for your understanding...:D
 
You are so right...have given up on most other forums...and it is one of the reasons I love coming here and contributing as best I can.  Great bunch of staff (the Community Management Team of course), users, etc...and great ethos...I love it.
 
Have a great day or evening if that is the time in Dubai at the moment.
 
See you
 
 
Baldrick

This is not something we (or anyone else, really) would be able to protect against since it would attack the firmware of WiFi Access Points with poor security. This is proof of concept that has only been produced in a laboratory environment.  
 
The full paper is available here: http://jis.eurasipjournals.com/content/2013/1/2 for those that are interested.
 
-Dan
 
 

Hi Dan
 
Thanks for that...something to read in detail with the cocoa later on. ;)
 
I presume that if anything 'carried' by the virus was dropped onto a system protected by WSA then it would most probably be acted upon as per usual by the relevant/appropriate WSA miodule(s)?  If so then what we have here is really another 'vector'?
 
Probably using 'Threat Researcher' speak all wrong...so please forgive me...but hopefully you get the gist of what I am asking?
 
Many thanks in advance.
 
Regards
 
 
Baldrick

Baldrick,
You are correct that if such an attack were to use an executable file that would run on a PC in order to infect a vulnerable WiFi access point that it was connected to, WSA would be able to stop it. This would be another attack vector, taking Rogue WiFi APs to another level, with the ability to spread from device to device.
 
-Dan
 
 

@ wrote:
This is not something we (or anyone else, really) would be able to protect against since it would attack the firmware of WiFi Access Points with poor security. This is proof of concept that has only been produced in a laboratory environment.  
 
The full paper is available here: http://jis.eurasipjournals.com/content/2013/1/2 for those that are interested.
 
-Dan
 
 

Thanks for the link Dan. I was about to go search for it.

Hi Dan
 
Many thanks for the confirmation...much appreciated you taking the time to respond. :D
 
Cheers
 
 
Baldrick

So in effect what we have here is a truly contagious airborne virus for IT systems, a bit like the airborne viruses of flora and fauna. It looks like the start of a whole new game now to me, scary and a dream come true for those on the other team.

Hi Jasper
 
True, but as Dan confirmed it is only another infection vector...and as technology changes so do the vectors of infection.  Remember when PC had 5inch (now I am going back) and 3.5inch Diskette Drives...and AV software used to scan the drives as part of boot up, etc.
 
So the spreading may be more efficient...if people continue to not secure their WiFi...but as long as one is protected by something as efficient as WSA then there is no real change.
 
Scary thought though; what if the virus compromises the router itself, multiplies to another vulnerable router, and once that is done, shuts down internet access, etc.
 
Looks liek the war continues.  It is just a pity that thos 'clever' people developing these nasties don't turn their undoubted 'talents' to good works...such a shame IMHO.
 
Whistfully
 
Baldrick