War Dialing and War Driving

Last Updated on Wed, 14 Dec 2022 | Network Security

Table 3-4 shows the summary information for the war dialing/driving attack.

Table 3-4. War Dialing/Driving

Recommended Books

  • Network Security: A Beginner's Guide
  • Network Security Fundamentals
  • Network Security: Principles and Practices
  • Network Security: Private Communication in a Public World
  • Network Security: A Practical Approach

Related Posts

Readers' Questions

  • Isaias
    How to prevent wardriving?
    8 months ago
    1. Change the name of your wireless network: A common strategy for wardriving prevention is to change the name of your wireless network (known as the SSID) to make it less identifiable.
    2. Secure your network with a strong password: Once you’ve changed the name of your wireless network, the next step is to secure it with a strong, unique password that’s difficult to guess.
    3. Use encryption: Encryption helps prevent wardrivers from accessing data on your wireless network.
    4. Disable the SSID broadcast: Disabling the SSID broadcast will prevent your network from appearing in the list of available networks for the wardriver to connect to.
    5. Enable MAC address filtering: MAC address filtering is a security measure that allows your router to accept connections from only specific devices that have a unique MAC address.
    6. Utilize virtual Private Network (VPN): A virtual Private Network (VPN) is a secure tunnel that encrypts your data as it travels between your device and the website or service you’re connecting to.
    7. Use a firewall: A firewall is a computer program that blocks unauthorized access to your computer or network.
    8. Limit the range of your wireless network: You can limit the range of your wireless network to reduce the chances of a wardriver being able to detect and connect to your network.
    • Siiri Sumiala
      What is war driving, war dialing?
      1 year ago
      • War driving and war dialing are activities that involve scanning wireless networks, either in the vicinity of the individual or by dialing a range of phone numbers, to look for insecure access points or computer systems. War driving is done via a wireless device such as a laptop computer or wireless-enabled device, while war dialing is done via a modem connected to a computer.
      • Maija
        How to prevent a War Dialing computer attack?
        1 year ago
        1. Use a firewall: Firewalls are the first line of defense against any type of network attack, including War Dialing. Ensure that you have a properly configured firewall that is updated regularly.
        2. Change default passwords: If your router or modem has default settings, these need to be changed. Default passwords and usernames can be easily guessed or looked up, leaving the system vulnerable.
        3. Monitor your network traffic: Install software and processes to monitor your network traffic and alert you to any suspicious activity. You can also use tools such as netstat to monitor incoming and outgoing connections.
        4. Use strong encryption and authentication: Encryption and authentication measures will help protect your data and systems and prevent unauthorized access.
        5. Educate your staff: Make sure all staff are aware of the risks and how to respond appropriately to suspicious activity.
        6. Regularly patch your software: Keeping your systems and software up to date will reduce the chances of a successful attack.

        Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

        Attack name

        War dialing/driving

        Class/subclass

        Read/reconnaissance

        Example implementations

        War dialers: many options; Tone Loc is popular

        War driving: Netstumbler (http://www.netstumbler.com/)

        Prerequisites

        None

        Pertinent vulnerability

        Usage or policy vulnerability

        Typical use

        Find insecure modems or wireless APs connected to a victim network

        Attack result

        Increased access

        Likely follow-up attack

        Sniffer

        OSI layers

        12

        Detection

        Nearly impossible

        (http://winfingerprint.sourceforge.net/aptools.php), regular checking using war-driving tools

        Rogue modem: Regular audit

        Detection difficulty

        5

        Ease of use

        4

        Frequency

        3

        Impact

        5

        Overall rating

        42

        War dialing and war driving allow attackers to get into the victim network without going through the front door. In war dialing, the attacker dials the phone number prefixes assigned to the victim or the victim's area, searching for modem connections. From this list of reachable modems, the attacker can then guess which systems are on the other side. By dialing these numbers, an attacker can very likely bypass a large part of the victim's security measures because, after a successful war-dialing attack, the attacker might appear to be a trusted employee.

        War driving is very similar to war dialing except the attacker drives a car with a high-gain wireless antenna around the physical location of the victim. The attacker's goal is to identify poorly secured wireless LAN access points (APs) through which the attacker can connect directly to the victim network. For more information on war driving, check out http://www.wardriving.com/.

        Continue reading here: Sniffer

        Was this article helpful?

        +3 0