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Beware of WiPhishing: Cirond Warns of New Wireless Security Danger (18/2/2005)

Cirond CEO Nicholas Miller to Speak about This Growing Threat at Major Security & Privacy Conference in Victoria, B.C. on February 10, 2005

Cirond Corporation (OTCBB:CROO) today warned of a new and growing danger facing users of wireless-equipped laptop computers and companies whose employees use these devices. The company calls this threat "WiPhishing" (pronounced "why fishing") and it is serious enough that it can expose all the shared information on a user's laptop computer -- and potentially even information on traditional wired computer networks -- to wireless "hacking" by criminals intent on stealing the user's personal information and introducing computer viruses, worms or even "keystroke loggers" onto the laptop. These WiPhishing hackers don't even have to be in the same building as the victim -- wireless network technology can allow them to "attract" wireless-equipped laptops from across the street or even the parking lot.

Mr. Miller will outline the company's strategy to combat this threat when he speaks to an audience of government and industry computer security professionals at the 6th Annual Security and Privacy Conference & Exposition at the Victoria Conference Centre in Victoria, B.C., Canada on February 10, 2005. He urged users to become aware of this threat and take action to combat it.

"We call WiPhishing the act of covertly setting up a wireless-enabled laptop or access point for the purpose of getting wireless laptops to associate with it," explained Mr. Miller. "Hackers who are on a "WiFishing expedition" may set the name of their rogue wireless access point (or laptop) to an SSID (ie. wireless network name) that is commonly used by wireless laptop users. The wireless network software can then cause the user's wireless laptop to automatically connect to hacker's wireless access point or wireless-equipped laptop. They will seek to attract people whose home networks may be set to common default SSID names such as Linksys, Netgear, SMC, Wireless -- or a hotspot with an SSID such as T-Mobile, Wayport or FatPort. Hackers are also likely to increasingly post common SSID names on their Web sites as this practice gains momentum."

In his presentation at the Victoria conference, Mr. Miller will explain how Cirond has developed an easy-to-use way to address this serious security problem. He said it parallels the work undertaken by Dr. Phil Nobles, wireless Internet and cyber-crime expert at Cranfield University, academic partner of the Defence Academy of the UK.

Dr. Nobles, who has shared his findings with Mr. Miller, warned last month of what he called the danger of 'Evil Twin' wireless hotspots. "In essence, users think they've logged on to a wireless hotspot connection when, in fact, they've been tricked to connect to the attacker's un-authorised base station," he said. "The latter jams the connection to a legitimate base station by sending a stronger signal within close proximity to the wireless client -- thereby turning itself into an 'Evil Twin'." He said that once the user is connected to the 'Evil Twin', the cyber criminal can intercept data being transmitted, such as bank details or personal information.

www.cirond.com