Help for a complete newb

[WiNewb99]

Hello,

I want to demonstrate WEP cracking for one of my clients as he believes his WEP network is adequately secure. I have his full permission to do this, but I don't know a thing about WEP cracking.

The hardware I've got is a Dell Lattitude D610, a Linksys WPC54g v1 card and a WPC11 v3 card. Can I crack WEP with this hardware? If I can, I'd like to do this without buying more hardware.

Also, I'm really good with Windows, but not so good with Linux. So dumb it down for me ok? :D

Thanks,

P.S. Forgot to mention, I've got backtrack v2.

[Mother]

Hi,

Don't take this wrong, but it would be better to leave such demonstrations to a security professional, who can launch the right attack, collect relevant data, write up a report, and recommend remedies (if needed). Simply blindly trying to launch "tools" against your network, even with permission, if you don't know what you are doing, can be very dangerous, and you could end up bringing stuff down that you didn't have permission to bring down.

Any security audit is carefully planned, and this includes assessing the possible damage to live infrastructure and data, resorting to a replicated test environment if needed, when the risk is too high.

Linux grants a lot more control over what the OS is doing than Windows, and it is much easier to run damaging commands in a normal distro, so with BackTrack, which is full of potentially damaging tools.....well, you'd best stay away from it.

Regards,

Mother

[WiNewb99]

As a matter of fact, I already have the environment for this test planned out. It won't be anywhere near the production environment (physically or logically). So that part is taken care of. As for damaging the equipment, I've got that angle completely taken care of as well.

I just want to know if I can make my hardware work for this purpose. Can you help me with that question?

[madmanu]

Ok, here's some help:

Boot your computer with the Backtrack Live CD. Don't worry as it won't take ownership of the MBR nor break your windows partition. Login and startx. If you have any problems with that, then run xconf first.

To crack WEP, first you need to connect to a network you've got access to:

Now open /internet/wireless assistant from KDE menu, choose an Open or WEP network to which you have access and enter the data you are asked for (IP, mask, gateway, DNS, same as in Windows). Enter the key too.

You are connected. Open /internet/konqueror from KDE menu. Type in www[dot]google[dot]com. Search for "wep cracking how to". Note that this is a very creative part and you can use your own sentences and preferred keywords.

That is, google searching under Linux. Plenty of info but you have to use your time to dig and learn.

Good luck!

[danmiddle2]

Ok, here's some help:

Boot your computer with the Backtrack Live CD. Don't worry as it won't take ownership of the MBR nor break your windows partition. Login and startx. If you have any problems with that, then run xconf first.

To crack WEP, first you need to connect to a network you've got access to:

Now open /internet/wireless assistant from KDE menu, choose an Open or WEP network to which you have access and enter the data you are asked for (IP, mask, gateway, DNS, same as in Windows). Enter the key too.

You are connected. Open /internet/konqueror from KDE menu. Type in www[dot]google[dot]com. Search for "wep cracking how to". Note that this is a very creative part and you can use your own sentences and preferred keywords.

That is, google searching under Linux. Plenty of info but you have to use your time to dig and learn.

Good luck!

LMAO - I wondered what you were on about when I started reading!

@WiNewb99 - I have successfully used a D610 for demonstrating wireless insecurity.

[WiNewb99]

I heard the people on these forums were helpful. Guess I heard wrong.

If you don't want to help me, why respond at all? I'm just asking a question, in a forum for newbs to ask questions.

Ok, I get it. You know a lot about this. But so what?

Does it make you feel smart to come into this "newb area" and shoot people down for asking questions? Really? That does it for you?

Ooooh, you can pick on newbs, I'm so impressed.

[Mr. T]

May I suggest that you refer to the documentation that is available for the tools you are trying to use to accomplish your objective rather than taking the approach that you have chosen up to this point? Afterwards, if you continue to think that the members of this forums are treating you unfairly, read through the last 72 hours worth of posts on this site. Perhaps then you will understand why other members of this forum have responded in the manner which they have.

[WiNewb99]

I don't need to read through 72 hours with of anything to spot miserably unhelpful when I see it.

You've got a whole discussion forum dedicated to newbs, but you have a problem with newbs asking newbish questions. Wow.

If you don't want to answer someone's question, why not ignore it? What is the point of going out of your way to tell them you're not going to help them?

[madmanu]

You are funny man. Of course there is help to newbies, but there is no help to people willing to have others working for them. You want a quick answer to show off something you don't know how to do. You want a Microsoft-like help post, type this, type that and off you go. You want us to write a personalized tutorial for you, adjusted to your skills, and without paying!

There are tutorials, in this same forum, that an average Windows user can find in minutes. Then, if a newbie tries to follow them and fails, if he/she does use some effort to try, then there is a community to answer. If the only sweat you are willing to spare is for asking questions and reading answers, but no real time working on it from your side, don't expect the community to move a finger to solve your problem. Saving time by using mine is not an option, really sorry, although I'm there if you find yourself stuck.

All this, though with different words, is stated in the rules. Read them. Read the tutorials. What you need is already here, in this very same forum. Then if you don't manage to make them work ask about the specific thing that doesn't perform as it should.

The help that we've been giving you but you haven't interpreted as such: read the tutorials within this forum. You should be able to get to crack WEP today if you read them.

A start so you've got some personalized (but incomplete) help:

airodump-ng

rm -R -f /mnt

Check the manual before executing them (man airodump-ng, man rm) to see what they do and how to control them. Also you'll get an idea of why the kind of blindly straight to the point help you want is disliked here.

Good luck

PS: The point of why we reply to you is... a good question. Maybe it's difficult for us to understand that there are hopeless cases.

[Mother]

WiNewb99...you are one step away from becoming a MotILC, from The Rules:

Please post all basic type questions in this forum.

This will hopefully stop the other forums from being clogged up with very basic Q & A 's

BEFORE POSTING...........

Your question may have been answered already, so don't forget to check the Tutorials And Guides Forum.

So, first, search, then try, then ask. That's the way it has worked for ages before someone invented point-and-click interfaces and tech support hotlines. If you show a willingness to learn, you will be helped out, if you don't believe us, SEARCH! You'll find countless threads ilustrating this concept - and check also the Idiots Corner, where you will find what not to do.

Wrong: Hi, I just installed BackTrack, please tell me how to crack WEP now, so I can show off to my clueless boss.

Right: Hi, I just installed BackTrack, but after running aircrack for a few hours my IV count is low [add further explanations of what you tried to do], why could this be? My laptop is X and my card is Y.

Mother

[WiNewb99]

I'm getting pretty sick of this.

You know what? I didn't ask how to use any of the tools. I didn't ask anybody to walk me through anything. I simply asked if my hardware would work.

Maybe before you start telling me where I went wrong, YOU should read what my question actually was. It's really easy, if you're in this thread you don't even have to search for it.

You know what else? I did search. I see that people have had mixed results from using this hardware. I posted in this thread simply to see if anyone that had made it work had any tips for me. You telling me that's a rule violation?

[madmanu]

Let's do it in a different way then. Download Backtrack, burn it to a CD and try to run your system with it. Instead of losing your time asking questions to people that don't answer, try and see what happens. It's so easy and quick! (then come and ask again if it doesn't seem to work).

[Mother]

I'm getting pretty sick of this.

Funny that, me too...

You know what? I didn't ask how to use any of the tools. I didn't ask anybody to walk me through anything. I simply asked if my hardware would work.

And do you think if your hardware was well-supported and known to work, it would not have already been added to one of the countless working-hardware-lists? If you only find half-answered questions, or worked-for-me/didn't-work-for-me threads, then it's likely the card either sucks, or there is no driver support for it, or both. Don't bother trying to force an answer from people, and go buy a supported card! If you are serious about impressing your boss, you should consider investing in more than a burnt CD-R.

Maybe before you start telling me where I went wrong, YOU should read what my question actually was. It's really easy, if you're in this thread you don't even have to search for it.

Believe me, I did - and after having seen the same type of question and the same attitude endlessly over the years, I gave you a polite reply which should at least have gotten you thinking.

You know what else? I did search. I see that people have had mixed results from using this hardware. I posted in this thread simply to see if anyone that had made it work had any tips for me. You telling me that's a rule violation?

No, it's a confirmation that your cards likely will NOT work, and that you should go get a well-supported card. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to notice that.

Mother

[WiNewb99]

I got the card into monitor mode, no thanks to most of you who have been little more than trolls.

/suck it, haters

[WiNewb99]

Forgot to mention, if you're thinking about banning me, be my guest. I've got a little over a hundred client VPN's I can connect from all across western Canada and the US. So there's no way you can keep me out of these forums, basement dwellers.

Later Trolls.

[Mother]

No, we just need to add you to the Idiot Corner League, and move this thread to it.

You can continue to come in as much as you want, and enjoy your new title, which will remain here for all to see for, as far as you and I are concerned, eternity. When you post your next stupid question or act like an arrogant ass, your new identity will get thrown into the same bag, and we can keep this up ad nauseam, or you can mend your ways.

Oh, and there is also the option of reporting your IP(s) to your ISP(s) if you become really abusive, I'm sure they will enjoy it. For starters, we have Shaw Communications from Alberta on the list.

Mother

[WiNewb99]

I'm glad you brought that up. I could totally see Shaw getting involved in our Internet argument. Perhaps you should send a transcript of this thread to their Department of Internet Disagreement Resolution.

[Mother]

Oh no, I was not going to contact them -now-, I was just letting you know that we -can- contact them in case you become an abusive pain in the ass rather than just a rude individual.