[Top][All Lists]
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
[Gnumed-devel] Security alert for those running wi-fi under Windows XP
From: |
J Busser |
Subject: |
[Gnumed-devel] Security alert for those running wi-fi under Windows XP |
Date: |
Mon, 12 Mar 2007 07:51:00 -0700 |
Anyone running wi-fi (wireless) under Windows XP, especially mobile
laptop users, need to be aware there is a non-automatic Windows
update from October that they should be highly advised to download
and run manually. Apparently even some security people have only
recently figured out issues with ""Free Public Wi-Fi"" so I thought
some on the list may like this shared.
Without this patch, you may be offered to connect to "Free Public Wi-
Fi" which is not *really* what it is, it's actually only a nearby
desktop or laptop that has benignly (or with ill intent) made itself
available as an ad hoc "peer to peer" node. If that is ever accepted,
the generic permission (and setting) may continue to reside among
your "preferred networks" and even after you are subsequently
connected to some other network, your laptop may continue to probe
every minute for other connections and, in so doing,
1) publish the ids of your actual trusted networks and
2) cause your wi-fi connection to "jump around" in a constant search
for stronger connections and may disrupt your connections and/or put
you at risk if you have any security vulnerabilities
Notably, although Microsoft had come up with an update to change
this, it is *not* part of Windows automatic updates. Not only is it
not in the "critical" list, it is apparently not anywhere *in* the
automatic updates system. You have to specifically get this update.
The source of my info is "Security Now" podcast episode 82, the notes
are about 1 screen down among the show notes at http://www.grc.com/sn/
SN-082.txt
(I listened to the podcast at http://www.grc.com/securitynow.htm)
To get the update, which alters the behaviour from automatic to just
when you ask it to, either google "wireless client update" or go to
this download link:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=2726F32F-
D52B-4F84-ACE8-F7FC20195769&displaylang=en
Microsoft knowledge base article containing more detail:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=917021
[Prev in Thread] |
Current Thread |
[Next in Thread] |
- [Gnumed-devel] Security alert for those running wi-fi under Windows XP,
J Busser <=