The problem with security through obscurity is that is doesn't actually
make you more secure, it makes you "feel" more secure.

Security through obscurity must always be coupled with other controls,
in the case of wi-fi, MAC Address filtering, 802.1x authentication,
Encryption, etc. etc.

IMO not broadcasting SSID's is more of a pain then its worth, anyone who
is out to do any damage can find them out easy enough and you should be
using compensating controls to prevent unauthorized users from
connecting anyway.

Eric

-----Original Message-----
From: listbounce (at) securityfocus (dot) com [email concealed] [mailto:listbounce (at) securityfocus (dot) com [email concealed]]
On Behalf Of info (at) nasarulz (dot) net [email concealed]
Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 2:32 PM
To: wifisec (at) securityfocus (dot) com [email concealed]
Subject: Re: SSID cloaking reducing WLAN security

I too think any measure you can take to secure your wi-fi network it
should
be done. Even if by cloaking/disabling SSID broadcasting is better than
nothing. Heck! I would rather the other snout nose teenage kids parents
have
to deal with computer being compromised. At least I know mine is secure
and
my kids know how to access the file server to retrieve our home network
configuration and settings.

So, anything anyone can do to minimize there broadcasting themselves,
I'm
all for it.

That just my two cents worth....

-Terry-

----- Original Message -----
From: <krymson (at) gmail (dot) com [email concealed]>
To: <wifisec (at) securityfocus (dot) com [email concealed]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 12:42 PM
Subject: Re: SSID cloaking reducing WLAN security

>I take exception whenever I hear things like cloaking one's SSID is
>useless. It's not useless. It isn't worth *much* when it comes to being

>more secure, but it still does have some worth.
>
> Take the situation where your neighbor kids only use Windows and you
> operate an otherwise open wireless network and the only variable is
the
> SSID broadcast setting. With it on, neighbor kids can play all the
> CounterStrike they want over your link. With it turned off, they don't

> know what to do (assuming your network is quiet).
>
> SSID cloaking still has value, it just doesn't have value to anyone on

> this list, because, to us, it is a trivial setting.
>
> I know, I'm being anal about semantics, but that's part of my job. :)

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