John Navas <spamfilter0@navasgroup.com> wrote:

> [POSTED TO alt.internet.wireless - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]
>
> In <diff90$f1q$3@nntp.itservices.ubc.ca> on 11 Oct 2005 04:32:32 GMT, Unruh
> <unruh-spam@physics.ubc.ca> wrote:
>
> >Duane Arnold <notme@notme.com> writes:
>
> >>Here you go and so much for the Linux loud mouth. That crap is full of
> >>holes too just like the rest of the crap O/S(s) written by fallible Human
> >>Beings.
> >
> >>http://netsecurity.about.com/cs/wire...aa112203_2.htm
> >
> >Looks like it might be OK, despite the incomprehensibility of the
> >suggestor.
>
> Hardly. "1. Change the System ID" won't have any real effect on security.

Nor will "2. Disable Identifier Broadcasting". Unfortunately, these
kinds of superstitions about wireless security are also propagated by
the leading vendor of consumer hardware. From "Appendix B: Wireless
Security" in the User Guide for the Linksys WRT54GS:

"The following is a complete list of security precautions to take (at
"least steps 1 through 5 should be followed):
"1. Change the default SSID.
"2. Disable SSID Broadcast.
"3. Change the default password for the Administrator account.
"4. Enable MAC Address Filtering.
"5. Change the SSID periodically.
"6. Use the highest encryption algorithm possible.
"7. Change the WEP encryption keys periodically.

Four placebos listed ahead of and designated as more essential than the
real thing.