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This is NetStumbler (also known as Network Stumbler) is a tool for Windows that facilitates detection of Wireless LANs using the 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g WLAN standards. It runs on Microsoft Windows operating systems from Windows 98 on up to Windows Vista (under compatibility mode). A trimmed-down version called MiniStumbler is available for the handheld Windows CE operating system. This Windows based tool easily finds wireless signals being broadcast within range. It also has ability to determine Signal/Noise info that can be used for site surveys.

How To defend: Do not broadcast your SSID. Ensure your WLAN is protected by using advanced Authentication and Encryption.



This is Kismet is a network detector, packet sniffer, and intrusion detection system for 802.11 wireless LANs. Kismet will work with any wireless card which supports raw monitoring mode, and can sniff 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g traffic. The program runs under Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, and Mac OS X. Kismet is unlike most other wireless network detectors in that it works passively. This means that without sending any loggable packets, it is able to detect the presence of both wireless access points and wireless clients, and associate them to each other. Kismet has the ability to log all sniffed packets and ability to display Wireless Networks that are not broadcasting their SSID.

How to defend : You can’t do anything to stop Kismet from finding your WLAN, so ensure your WLAN is protected by using advanced Authentication and Encryption.

This is AirSnort, a Linux utility (using GTK+) for decrypting WEP encryption on an 802.11b network. A Windows port also exists. Distributed under the GNU General Public License. This is a very easy to use tool that can be used to sniff and crack WEP keys. While many people bash the use of WEP, it is certainly better than using nothing at all. Something you’ll find in using this tool is that it takes a lot of sniffed packets to crack the WEP key.

How To Defend : Use a 128-bit, not a 40-bit WEP encryption key. This would take longer to crack. If your equipment supports it, use WPA or WPA2 instead of WEP.

This is cowpatty it is used as a brute force tool for cracking WPA-PSK, considered the “New WEP” for home Wireless Security. This program simply tries a bunch of different options from a dictionary file to see if one ends up matching what is defined as the Pre-Shared Key.

How To Defend : Try to use a long and complex WPA Pre-Shared Key. This type of key would have less of a chance of residing in a dictionary file that would be used to try and guess your key and/or would take longer. Use a good EAP type to protect the authentication and limit the amount of incorrect guesses that would take place before the account is locked-out.

This is Ethereal it is protocol analyzer, or “packet sniffer” application, used for network troubleshooting, analysis, software and protocol development, and education. It is is very similar to tcpdump, but it has a GUI front-end, and many more information sorting and filtering options. It allows the user to see all traffic being passed over the network. Ethereal can scan wireless and Ethernet data and comes with some robust filtering capabilities. It can also be used to sniff-out 802.11 management beacons and probes and subsequently could be used as a tool to sniff-out non-broadcast SSIDs.

How To Defend : Use encryption, so that anything sniffed would be difficult or nearly impossible to break. WPA2, which uses AES, is essentially unrealistic to break by a normal hacker. Even WEP will encrypt the data. When in a Public Wireless Hotspot , use application layer encryption, like Simplite to encrypt your IM sessions, or use SSL. This will force all traffic leaving the machine through an encrypted tunnel that would be encrypted with DES, 3DES or AES.