ISC2 7th version - 12464-Extended Service Set Identifier (ESSID) and basic service set identifier (BSSID).Īn ESSID is the name of a wireless network when a wireless base station or WAP is used (i.e., infrastructure mode).Ī BSSID is the name of a wireless network when in ad hoc or peer-to-peer mode (i.e., when a base station or WAP is not used). The malefactor simply needs to place the malicious code on the unsuspecting user's end node system via the open (unsecured) Ad hoc networks. In this case, the person placing the malicious code need not 'crack' the passwords to the organizational network, the legitimate user has provided access via a normal and routine log-in. The second is that a computer virus or otherwise undesirable code may be placed on the user's computer via the unsecured Ad hoc connection and thus has a route to the organizational secured network. The first is that critical organizational data obtained via the secured network may be on the user's end node computer drive and thus exposed to discovery via the unsecured Ad hoc network. The indirect bridge provides two security hazards. A direct bridge, which requires the user actually configure a bridge between the two connections and is thus unlikely to be initiated unless explicitly desired, and an indirect bridge which is the shared resources on the user computer. If they are also using a wired or wireless infrastructure network at the same time, they are providing a bridge to the secured organizational network through the unsecured Ad hoc connection.

Thus the user may not even know they have an unsecured Ad hoc network in operation on their computer. The security hole provided by Ad hoc networking is not the Ad hoc network itself but the bridge it provides into other networks, usually in the corporate environment, and the unfortunate default settings in most versions of Microsoft Windows to have this feature turned on unless explicitly disabled. While these types of networks usually have little protection, encryption methods can be used to provide security. Ad hoc networks are defined as networks between wireless computers that do not have an access point in between them. Ad hoc networks can pose a security threat.

Ad hoc network mac address