Linksys WPS54GU2 User Guide - Page 56

Wireless-G PrintServer for USB 2.0 But even WEP has its problems. WEP's encryption algorithm is referred to as "simple", which also means "weak", because the technology that scrambles the wireless signal isn't too hard to crack for a persistent hacker. There are five common ways that hackers can break into your network and steal your bandwidth as well as your data. The five attacks are popularly known as: 1. Passive Attacks 2. Jamming Attacks 3. Active Attacks 4. Dictionary-building or Table Attacks 5. Man-in-the-Middle Attacks Passive Attacks There's no way to detect a passive attack because the hacker is not breaking into your network. He is simply listening (eavesdropping, if you will) to the information your network broadcasts. There are applications easily available on the Internet that can allow a person to listen into your wireless network and the information it broadcasts. Information such as MAC addresses, IP addresses, usernames, passwords, instant message conversations, emails, account information, and any data transmitted wirelessly, can easily be seen by someone outside of your network because it is often broadcast in clear text. Simply put, any information transmitted on a wireless network leaves both the network and individual users vulnerable to attack. All a hacker needs is a "packet sniffer", software available on the Internet, along with other freeware or shareware hacking utilities available on the Internet, to acquire your WEP keys and other network information to defeat security. Jamming Attacks Jamming Attacks, when a powerful signal is sent directly into your wireless network, can effectively shut down your wireless network. This type of attack is not always intentional and can often come about simply due to the technology. This is especially possible in the 2.4 GHz frequency, where phones, baby monitors, and microwave ovens can create a great deal of interference and jam transmissions on your wireless network. One way to resolve this is by moving your wireless devices into the 5 GHz frequency, which is dedicated solely to information transmissions. Appendix B: Wireless Security 49 What Are The Risks?