RE: Wlan @ bestbuy is cleartext?

From: Duffy, Shawn (SDuffyat_private)
Date: Wed May 01 2002 - 13:54:52 PDT

  • Next message: Peter Boutzev: "Fwd: Re: Wlan @ bestbuy is cleartext?"

    Ok, I get the picture.  I have been misunderstood here.
    
    For clarification, I am not stating that Blue Boar is the one who
    should be in trouble.  My statement of "checking into it" was intended for
    everyone reading the thread.  I think it was definitely noteworthy Blue Boar
    let us know.  But I don't know that everyone out here won't run out to the
    nearest BestBuy, Home Depot, or whatever and pull-out their trusty WLan card
    and a copy of Netstumbler looking to capture credit cards in the clear.
    
    As far as BestBuy may already know; then yes, they are liable.  But,
    who here wants to be the one who has to go to court and explain  it? 
    Again, I am just saying before you go out to your local stores and start
    gathering credit card numbers, think about it.  
    
    Lastly, if someone happens to live in a quite town with no "computer
    crime prevention", are you telling the readers that makes it ok?  Me
    either.
    
    Help each other out, guys (and gals).  Blue Boar did that.  I am
    certainly going to take his advice about credit card purchases and I plan on
    sharing his information with others.
    
    Peace
    
    sd
    
    
    
    
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Vachon, Scott [mailto:Scott.Vachonat_private]
    Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2002 1:36 PM
    To: 'vuln-devat_private'
    Subject: RE: Wlan @ bestbuy is cleartext?
    
    
    
    >Checking into it may be a legality problem.
    
    How so ? He's not the one transmitting confidential data in the
    clear...
    
    > For those of you interested in trying this one out at your local
    > BestBuy, be aware they may already know...
    
    And if they are still transmitting in the clear, then they are
    legally liable...
    
    >Anyway, at this point, I suggest you contact local law enforcement
    >and ask them what they think.  By now, I would hope most areas have
    >a network tasks forces that can at least address the issue either
    >for you or with you when you  confront BestBuy.  Who knows, you may be a
    >hero and hire you as a CSO ;-)
    
    LOL. I like the assumption about the task forces but, I fear you are
    very wrong. The bigger cities may have them but, the thousands of smaller
    towns are doubtful at best. I suspect many would not be able to cite any
    infractions on the part of the tech bringing this to their attention.
    I further doubt they would have the jurisdiction to accompany said
    person to BestBuy to help unscrew them. I do suspect that one or two people
    employed by them have run this up the flagpole in the last few hours...
    
    >Also, I wouldn't doddle on this, you may prevent an identity theft!
    
    No better reason needed. Well said.
    
    ~S~
    
    Disclaimer: My own 2 cents....
    _________________________________________________________________
    Original Post Here:
    his past week I went to bestbuy to purchase a D-link wlan card...
    egar to get my laptop up and running while in the car I put my card in and 
    installed the driver. I noticed the traffic light was lit up as if I
    had a connection. Out of curriosity I fired up kismet and sure enough there
    were packets flying through the air right infront of BestBuy. Well I
    decided to run in an try to make a Credit Card purchase real quick to verify
    that my info was not going all over the parking lot in the clear. Well after
    
    sorting out my logs I noticed what looked to be like SQL queries and
    table headers in my logs ... things such as CUSTOMER_ROUTEID, BANKNAME, 
    REGISTER_ID and things of that nature... luckily no where in that
    data did I find my own credit card. Non the less I decided to run to the
    store
    next to BestBuy while I left me PC on grabbing packets. Well yesterday I
    sorted through the data collected and this time I did indeed find a RAW
    clear text credit card number....not mine ... but definately a credit card
    number.
    
    Heres my delima... I checked out a few of the other best buy stores
    for "beacon packets" and everyone I drove by was sending them out...so I
    assume all BestBuy's are wlan enabled. What I need to find out is ... are 
    BestBuys's Cash register terminals indeed using wlan and are they
    indeed sending out MY data in the clear... I am NOT comfortable using my
    credit card at ANY BestBuy as of right now...  due to legality though I
    don't feel comfortable walking into the store and confronting someone about
    it.... for all I know it could be standard BestBuy corp. practices to use
    nonsecure wlan. I figured by starting a thread other people that have
    attempted
    this may have more info or some from BestBuy may be reading the list and
    they may pipe up.
    



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