Gizmodo: wpa

WPA Wi-Fi Security Gets Cracked; Your Network is No Longer Secure

Adam Frucci — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:15:00 EST

When it came to setting up Wi-Fi networks, if you knew what you were doing you would enable WPA security. This would keep people with a small amount of knowledge from gaining access to your network, which is very easy with the much weaker WEP security. No more! WPA security has now been cracked, rendering all but the most tightly-locked networks open for hacking.

Researchers by the name of Erik Tews and Martin Beck were the ones to do the cracking, finding a way to break the temporary Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) in under 15 minutes. They haven't, however, figured out how to gain access to the data that travels between the PC and the router, so that's a plus.

So what should you do to secure your network? Switch to WPA2, which is still uncracked for the time being. And if you want to be one of those marginally-skilled Wi-Fi hackers? Grab the Aircrack-ng Linux program, which has already had this new code added to it. You dick. [PC World via Tech Digest]

Hackers Use Nvidia Graphics Card to Smash Wi-Fi Encryption 10,000 Percent Faster

matt buchanan — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:00:00 EDT

Here's one way to tap the parallel processing power in Nvidia's graphics cards: Wi-Fi security hacking. Russian hackers reportedly bored through WPA and WPA2 encryptions using a brute-force technique juiced with one of Nvidia's latest graphics cards (they don't say which ones). The card supposedly made the "password recovery" process up to 10,000 percent faster. The report's notably skimpy on the details, but if true, that's a whole lot of busted for Wi-Fi security. [SC via DSL Reports]

Microsoft's Xbox 360 Incompatible with Apple's Airport Extreme 802.11n

Jason Chen — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 19:54:36 EST

Two can play the incompatibility game. It looks like Microsoft's getting back at Apple's "don't get Vista if you want to use iTunes" by telling Xbox 360 users not to get the new Airport Extreme because it's incompatible with their game console.

Apparently the 360's having trouble either with WPA/WPA2 security or routers with N-support, as a few Linksys and D-Link users are also reporting compatibility problems. Microsoft says they may update this in the Spring Dashboard update, but that won't be out for a couple months. For now either stay away from Apple's Extreme if you've got an Xbox 360 or hook it up via Ethernet. – Jason Chen

Apple Support [Apple via TUAW]

TiVo Finally Gets Wireless Adapter With WPA Support

Jason Chen — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 20:00:29 EDT

Security-minded wireless users have long switched from the weak WEP encryption to WPA or WPA2 on their wireless routers. WPA and WPA2 are slightly more secure than WEP, which can be cracked within seconds with the right tool.

So why has TiVo been so slow to offer support for WPA? Who knows, but at least they're finally offering support now in their TiVo branded wireless adapter, available on Amazon for $49.99.

Speaking of which, I was at Fry's this weekend and saw a woman abotu to buy a TiVo Series 2 Dual Tuner box. I was going to tell her of the Series 3 September 17 Release rumor, but she cut in front of me in line. – Jason Chen

Product page [Amazon via Zatz Not Funny]