WiFi worms: the next generation of virus

Walter Dnes waltdnes-SLHPyeZ9y/tg9hUCZPvPmw at public.gmane.org
Wed Dec 12 23:39:49 UTC 2007


  Article at http://arxivblog.com/?p=170 referencing another article at
http://arxiv.org/abs/0706.3146 Click on the "PDF" link at the upper
right for the full 22-page PDF.

WiFi Epidemiology: Can Your Neighbors' Router Make Yours Sick?
Authors: Hao Hu, Steven Myers, Vittoria Colizza, Alessandro Vespignani
(Submitted on 21 Jun 2007)

    Abstract: In densely populated urban areas WiFi routers form a
tightly interconnected proximity network that can be exploited as a
substrate for the spreading of malware able to launch massive fraudulent
attack and affect entire urban areas WiFi networks. In this paper we
consider several scenarios for the deployment of malware that spreads
solely over the wireless channel of major urban areas in the US. We
develop an epidemiological model that takes into consideration prevalent
security flaws on these routers. The spread of such a contagion is
simulated on real-world data for geo-referenced wireless routers. We
uncover a major weakness of WiFi networks in that most of the simulated
scenarios show tens of thousands of routers infected in as little time
as two weeks, with the majority of the infections occurring in the first
24 to 48 hours. We indicate possible containment and prevention measure
to limit the eventual harm of such an attack. 

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Walter Dnes <waltdnes-SLHPyeZ9y/tg9hUCZPvPmw at public.gmane.org>
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