Better Secure Your Wi-Fi

WEP doesn’t actually keep anyone out. I like MaribelAlligator’s comparison of a WEP key to a home bathroom lock, the one you can open just using a bent paperclip. Everyone knows how to unlock it, but when it’s locked everyone who walks by understands they should stay out. Glenn Fleishman likens WEP to a “No Trespassing” sign—a clear indicator the people inside don’t want the uninvited in, but nothing that will actually keep people out.

The Point: Now You Know How to Better Secure Your Wireless Network

Knowing how to crack WEP keys doesn’t mean you go out and actually break into people’s Wi-Fi networks. It means you’ve seen, firsthand, exactly how crackable WEP keys are. I’ve “known” for years now that WPA is more secure than WEP, but the bridge on my network offered WPA but couldn’t authenticate with it on my old, cheap router. It wasn’t until I wrote the article last week that I got an updated router that did work. That’s the power of seeing something in action you’ve normally got to wade through nefarious blackhat web sites to dial into.

via WEP Cracking Redux: Beyond the Command Line - Security - Lifehacker.

An article that just proves how easy it has gotten to crack wireless network security, WEP authentication in particular.