WarDriving and Wireless Penetration Testing

Disclaimer: I know the guy who wrote the forward, although I don't think in any way this has influenced my review of this book.I'm not a wireless hacker, although I've dabbled some in examining networks and some of the software in the book. That said, I think I learned quite a bit by reading this book. I didn't know what to expect with "Wardriving & Wireless Penetration Testing", but what I found was a focused, well prepared book with clear examples. Now, this book is very heavy on network discovery and mapping and not as complete on wireless attacks, although this topic does get coverage in a full chapter and parts of others.What I like about the book is that it's comprehensive without being exhaustive. It covers WiFi hacking from Windows and Linux, which you would expect, and also from OS X (not so common) and also from, very pleasantly, handheld devices. The software covered is mainly using Kismet/Kismac and the NetStumbler family of software, which is not unexpected. These are premier tools and offer everything you would want. Several minor tools are also discussed.Various attacks covered include breaking the security mechanisms of WEP, WPA and LEAP, not surprisingly, and how to commit MITM attacks. In all of these, the instructions are clear and straightforward with clear illustrations.Lest you think this book is all about software, there's good coverage of hardware, both wireless cards and adapters as well as antennas. Also, some GPS software and its integration with wireless mapping efforts is also covered in detail. Another surprise is the coverage of the OpenWRT software kit for the WRT54G device, which can easily be loaded into a functional, dedicated wireless pentest and attack tool. The authors provide valuable tips and insights along the way. A short "bonus" chapter on wireless video device hacking is also included. Appendix B covers driver static analysis and testing, which is becoming a hot topic right now in vulnerability research.Screenshots, examples, and images were generally well done. A handful of Linux-specific screenshots (ie for the kernel configuration) were poorly reproduced, unfortunately.While I'm not an expert at wireless (either the security protocols, the auth protocols, or the physics) I didn't spot any obvious mistakes in their background material.I found "Wardriving & Wireless Penetration Testing" to be well written and full of useful information, all clearly and well presented. The authors have prepared a good, timely book on the subject, and cover the topic in full, sharing insights and tips along the way.

Years ago, I had purchased the paperback edition and used it to set up an ASUS WL-500g using OpenWRT successfully. I still have the access point and recently literally dusted it off to start playing with it again. It has some very useful information and how-to's in it that still have some relevance to networks today, although technologies and security has changed.