Hi, Can Windows / LINUX ever be made totally safe for WIFI ? After reading the fact that government wants WIFI security before getting WIFI computers all over Mumbai, I was asked by a friend whether WINDOWS can ever be made totally safe for WIFI all over Mumbai.
What about LINUX ?
Erach
On Friday 08 Aug 2008 09:41, Erach wrote:
Hi, Can Windows / LINUX ever be made totally safe for WIFI ? After reading the fact that government wants WIFI security before getting WIFI computers all over Mumbai, I was asked by a friend whether WINDOWS can ever be made totally safe for WIFI all over Mumbai.
You cant make anything safe from ALL attacks except at enormous costs. You have to define the threat and then design your system to mitigate this threat. However Windows is plagued by all sorts of threats. Exploits are dime a dozen reigning from kernel vulnerabilites to userland problems. These stem from not having even a sembleance of seperation between user and kernel spaces. Infact this lack of seperation is a touted feature.
What about LINUX ?
Linux has a well defined sepration between kernel and user spaces. Therfore the type of vulnerabilities common on windows are non existent.
Having stated the above, IMO there is no new vulnerability caused by merely using wireless. One can tap into a wire with equal ease, save the headache of relative physical proximity.
The type of stupid investigations carried out by our cops are not worth commenting on and betrays their utter lack of any sleuthing abilities when dealing with a slightly more sophisticated attack than sticks and stones. We are singularly lucky that we dont have a blast a day, given the massive vulnerabilities in every area of public access.
The case of cyber vulnerability is a stupid distraction or even a nice broken stick for the cops and authorities to lean on.
On 09-Aug-08, at 3:30 PM, jtd wrote:
You cant make anything safe from ALL attacks except at enormous costs.
s/except/even/
On Saturday 09 Aug 2008 17:24, Kenneth Gonsalves wrote:
On 09-Aug-08, at 3:30 PM, jtd wrote:
You cant make anything safe from ALL attacks except at enormous costs.
s/except/even/
it should be "even". There will be some installations who will be willing to pay double the enormous costs to protect against ALL attacks. Snake oil and wire cutters come to mind..
And some more zombies being readied for certain microserfs.
http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/news/article/0,289142,sid14_gci1324395,...
jtd wrote:
Having stated the above, IMO there is no new vulnerability caused by merely using wireless. One can tap into a wire with equal ease, save the headache of relative physical proximity.
In the recent case, there could be no 'hacking' involved at all. The guy must have simply used a network available openly. There are many places where wireless security is not enabled. The owner does not realize that his private network has turned into a 'sarvajanik internet utsav' till he receives his inflated bill.
On Monday 11 Aug 2008 23:15, Rony wrote:
jtd wrote:
Having stated the above, IMO there is no new vulnerability caused by merely using wireless. One can tap into a wire with equal ease, save the headache of relative physical proximity.
In the recent case, there could be no 'hacking' involved at all. The guy must have simply used a network available openly. There are many places where wireless security is not enabled. The owner does not realize that his private network has turned into a 'sarvajanik internet utsav' till he receives his inflated bill.
Very true. Otoh someone could easily have used several self cleaning zombies to relay the message and the cops are being led on a merry dance.
On 11-Aug-08, at 11:15 PM, Rony wrote:
jtd wrote:
Having stated the above, IMO there is no new vulnerability caused by merely using wireless. One can tap into a wire with equal ease, save the headache of relative physical proximity.
In the recent case, there could be no 'hacking' involved at all. The guy must have simply used a network available openly. There are many places where wireless security is not enabled. The owner does not realize that his private network has turned into a 'sarvajanik internet utsav' till he receives his inflated bill.
this is easily solved by using an unbreakable password like 'root123'
On 08-Aug-08, at 9:41 AM, Erach wrote:
Hi, Can Windows / LINUX ever be made totally safe for WIFI ? After reading the fact that government wants WIFI security before getting WIFI computers all over Mumbai, I was asked by a friend whether WINDOWS can ever be made totally safe for WIFI all over Mumbai.
What about LINUX ?
no
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Erach -
jtd -
Kenneth Gonsalves -
Rony