Ethereal Detects Weak WEP IVs

2005-01-26T11:04:00.000-08:00

For the security wonks, Ethereal 0.10.9 now detects and flags weak initialization vectors (IVs) for WEP keys: An initialization vector (IV) is an attempt to increase randomness in a publicly available encryption stream. Combine a truly random IV from a large number space with a key set by a user and each packet has additional protection against brute force attacks. WEP was weak to begin with because the IV space was too small, forcing reuse. Errors in implementation meant that IVs are rapidly reused on some networks. A flaw in the encryption algorithm further means that certain IVs, called weak IVs, reveal more information about the secret part of the WEP key than others--about 9,000 weak IVs out of 16,000,000 possible ones. (WPA, by the way, has a 48-bit IV instead of a 24-bit one without the weakness problem.) The weak IVs are much more interesting than others because they have a statistically higher likelihood of resulting in a crack. Gathering weak IVs quickly produces a crack faster than gathering lots of strong IVs. (Some WEP-generating Wi-Fi adapters exclude weak IVs from their IV creation process as part of firmware design.) Gather a few thousand weak IVs, and you have a chance at cracking the key. On busy networks, this might be a few minutes using the latest cracking software. Ethereal 0.10.9 detects these weak IVs, which either means you know you can crack a WEP key quickly or you know that your network has weak protection and ought to be upgraded. [link via Nigel Ballard; thanks to him and Jim Thompson for reality checks.]...

Panic Attack

Don't Mention the C-Word

2005-01-15T13:48:00.000-08:00

Apple staffers working the booth on the Macworld show floor must have been instructed to deflect comparisons between the new Mac mini and the Cube.

I talked to two staffers showing off the new machine, and both pooh-poohed any likeness between the new Mac mini and the defunct Cube, The Cube, of course, was the stylish but pricey "headless" Mac of yore, which wowed critics but had one of the shortest life-spans in the Apple's product history.

"Oh, don't damn it by calling it that," scolded one staffer when the c-word cropped up.

"It's nothing like the Cube," snapped another a little later. He paused. There was some uncomfortable shuffling. And then, "It has a totally different price point."

And that's why the mini will be a hit. The Mac mini has all the Cube's virtues -- it's small, quiet and stylish -- without the sticker shock.

But will it be a smash? I think so, but for the weirdest reason.

In Steve Jobs' keynote, when he held it up for the first time, I had the oddest sensation of being in a dream. The mini is so implausibly small, it made my head spin -- literally. I thought I was asleep, dreaming of this weird little box. I almost pinched myself, but burst out laughing instead.

Later, looking at the machine up close, I was impressed, but no weird mind tricks. I wonder if others, seeing it on TV or in a store, have a similar reaction? Probably not.

panic attack panic attack panic attack panic attack

CorieLewis3

Ethereal Detects Weak WEP IVs

Don't Mention the C-Word