My router allows WEP to be configured for 64 bit keys. But it says "10 hex digits". Why isn't it 16 hex digits? This is a Linksys wrt54g. -- % Randy Yates % "She has an IQ of 1001, she has a jumpsuit %% Fuquay-Varina, NC % on, and she's also a telephone." %%% 919-577-9882 % %%%% <yates@ieee.org> % 'Yours Truly, 2095', *Time*, ELO http://www.digitalsignallabs.com
[OT?] WEP Encryption Key Length
Started by ●November 19, 2007
Reply by ●November 19, 20072007-11-19
Randy Yates wrote:> My router allows WEP to be configured for 64 bit keys. But > it says "10 hex digits". Why isn't it 16 hex digits? This is > a Linksys wrt54g.Maybe "10" is 0x10 [only half facetious]. Anyhow, what are bit keys, how why are 64 of them used [entirely facetious]? Jerry -- Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get. �����������������������������������������������������������������������
Reply by ●November 20, 20072007-11-20
On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:21:56 -0500, Randy Yates <yates@ieee.org> wrote:>My router allows WEP to be configured for 64 bit keys. But >it says "10 hex digits". Why isn't it 16 hex digits? This is >a Linksys wrt54g.You should be aware that WEP is badly broken (i.e. it does not provide security). I strongly recommend that you do not use WEP, and use WPA instead. From the wikipedia page for WEP: "Several serious weaknesses were identified by cryptanalysts; a WEP connection can be cracked with readily available software within minutes." Regards, Allan
Reply by ●November 20, 20072007-11-20
On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:21:56 -0500, Randy Yates <yates@ieee.org> wrote:>My router allows WEP to be configured for 64 bit keys. But >it says "10 hex digits". Why isn't it 16 hex digits? This is >a Linksys wrt54g.You should be aware that WEP is badly broken (i.e. it does not provide security). I strongly recommend that you do not use WEP, and use WPA instead. From the wikipedia page for WEP: "Several serious weaknesses were identified by cryptanalysts; a WEP connection can be cracked with readily available software within minutes." Regards, Allan
Reply by ●November 20, 20072007-11-20
On Nov 19, 10:21 pm, Randy Yates <ya...@ieee.org> wrote:> My router allows WEP to be configured for 64 bit keys. But > it says "10 hex digits". Why isn't it 16 hex digits?40 bits are actual key. The other 24 are "Initialization Vector". http://www.geocities.com/dtmcbride/tech/networks/wep.html
Reply by ●November 20, 20072007-11-20
Greg Berchin <gberchin@sentientscience.com> writes:> On Nov 19, 10:21 pm, Randy Yates <ya...@ieee.org> wrote: > >> My router allows WEP to be configured for 64 bit keys. But >> it says "10 hex digits". Why isn't it 16 hex digits? > > 40 bits are actual key. The other 24 are "Initialization Vector". > > http://www.geocities.com/dtmcbride/tech/networks/wep.htmlExcellent! Thanks Greg! -- % Randy Yates % "Maybe one day I'll feel her cold embrace, %% Fuquay-Varina, NC % and kiss her interface, %%% 919-577-9882 % til then, I'll leave her alone." %%%% <yates@ieee.org> % 'Yours Truly, 2095', *Time*, ELO http://www.digitalsignallabs.com
Reply by ●November 20, 20072007-11-20
Allan Herriman <allanherriman@hotmail.com> writes:> On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:21:56 -0500, Randy Yates <yates@ieee.org> > wrote: > >>My router allows WEP to be configured for 64 bit keys. But >>it says "10 hex digits". Why isn't it 16 hex digits? This is >>a Linksys wrt54g. > > You should be aware that WEP is badly broken (i.e. it does not provide > security). I strongly recommend that you do not use WEP, and use WPA > instead. > > From the wikipedia page for WEP: > "Several serious weaknesses were identified by cryptanalysts; a WEP > connection can be cracked with readily available software within > minutes."Thanks Allan. How big of a problem is that really going to be? This is my home system here in my upper-middle-class neighborhood - is some thug going to park his van outside my house and steal bandwidth? Are my neighbors threats? I guess I just wanted to prevent someone from easily spying or even inadvertently connecting to my network. Perhaps I'm too trusting. -- % Randy Yates % "Though you ride on the wheels of tomorrow, %% Fuquay-Varina, NC % you still wander the fields of your %%% 919-577-9882 % sorrow." %%%% <yates@ieee.org> % '21st Century Man', *Time*, ELO http://www.digitalsignallabs.com
Reply by ●November 20, 20072007-11-20
On Tue, 20 Nov 2007 10:03:01 -0500, Randy Yates <yates@ieee.org> wrote:>Allan Herriman <allanherriman@hotmail.com> writes: > >> On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:21:56 -0500, Randy Yates <yates@ieee.org> >> wrote: >> >>>My router allows WEP to be configured for 64 bit keys. But >>>it says "10 hex digits". Why isn't it 16 hex digits? This is >>>a Linksys wrt54g. >> >> You should be aware that WEP is badly broken (i.e. it does not provide >> security). I strongly recommend that you do not use WEP, and use WPA >> instead. >> >> From the wikipedia page for WEP: >> "Several serious weaknesses were identified by cryptanalysts; a WEP >> connection can be cracked with readily available software within >> minutes." > >Thanks Allan. > >How big of a problem is that really going to be? This is my home system >here in my upper-middle-class neighborhood - is some thug going to park >his van outside my house and steal bandwidth? Are my neighbors threats? > >I guess I just wanted to prevent someone from easily spying or even >inadvertently connecting to my network. Perhaps I'm too trusting.If you just want to keep the honest folks out, WEP does that. If you want some security on the network (you just need one curious teen in the neighborhood to ruin your day), then WPA is the only way to go. The tools to crack WEP in a few minutes are available on the net. If somebody wants into a WEP system there's not much barrier to prevent that. Eric Jacobsen Minister of Algorithms Abineau Communications http://www.ericjacobsen.org
Reply by ●November 20, 20072007-11-20
On Tue, 20 Nov 2007 10:03:01 -0500, Randy Yates <yates@ieee.org> wrote:>Allan Herriman <allanherriman@hotmail.com> writes: > >> On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:21:56 -0500, Randy Yates <yates@ieee.org> >> wrote: >> >>>My router allows WEP to be configured for 64 bit keys. But >>>it says "10 hex digits". Why isn't it 16 hex digits? This is >>>a Linksys wrt54g. >> >> You should be aware that WEP is badly broken (i.e. it does not provide >> security). I strongly recommend that you do not use WEP, and use WPA >> instead. >> >> From the wikipedia page for WEP: >> "Several serious weaknesses were identified by cryptanalysts; a WEP >> connection can be cracked with readily available software within >> minutes." > >Thanks Allan. > >How big of a problem is that really going to be? This is my home system >here in my upper-middle-class neighborhood - is some thug going to park >his van outside my house and steal bandwidth? Are my neighbors threats? > >I guess I just wanted to prevent someone from easily spying or even >inadvertently connecting to my network. Perhaps I'm too trusting.If you just want to keep the honest folks out, WEP does that. If you want some security on the network (you just need one curious teen in the neighborhood to ruin your day), then WPA is the only way to go. The tools to crack WEP in a few minutes are available on the net. If somebody wants into a WEP system there's not much barrier to prevent that. Eric Jacobsen Minister of Algorithms Abineau Communications http://www.ericjacobsen.org
Reply by ●November 20, 20072007-11-20
On Tue, 20 Nov 2007 10:03:01 -0500, Randy Yates <yates@ieee.org> wrote:>Allan Herriman <allanherriman@hotmail.com> writes: > >> On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:21:56 -0500, Randy Yates <yates@ieee.org> >> wrote: >> >>>My router allows WEP to be configured for 64 bit keys. But >>>it says "10 hex digits". Why isn't it 16 hex digits? This is >>>a Linksys wrt54g. >> >> You should be aware that WEP is badly broken (i.e. it does not provide >> security). I strongly recommend that you do not use WEP, and use WPA >> instead. >> >> From the wikipedia page for WEP: >> "Several serious weaknesses were identified by cryptanalysts; a WEP >> connection can be cracked with readily available software within >> minutes." > >Thanks Allan. > >How big of a problem is that really going to be? This is my home system >here in my upper-middle-class neighborhood - is some thug going to park >his van outside my house and steal bandwidth? Are my neighbors threats? > >I guess I just wanted to prevent someone from easily spying or even >inadvertently connecting to my network. Perhaps I'm too trusting.If you just want to keep the honest folks out, WEP does that. If you want some security on the network (you just need one curious teen in the neighborhood to ruin your day), then WPA is the only way to go. The tools to crack WEP in a few minutes are available on the net. If somebody wants into a WEP system there's not much barrier to prevent that. Eric Jacobsen Minister of Algorithms Abineau Communications http://www.ericjacobsen.org
