Every year, Black Hat conference brings us interesting news and technology, which surely represent the new trend in security field. And this year is no exception.
Two security researchers called Mike Tassey and Richard Perkins showed off on Wednesday their remote controlled drone that could crack WEP and WPA and WPA2 secured WiFi network and intercepts cell phone calls.
The drone is called Wireless Aerial Surveillance Platform (WASP) which costs at some $6000, is made from FMQ-117B U.S. Army target drone. It equips with EPIA Pico-ITX PC, on-board VIA EPIA Pico-ITX PCBackTrack Linux OS (BackTrack is Linux based professional security OS to crack encrypted wireless network). When flies, it can sniff WiFi network and crack it using a dictionary of 340 million words to gain access.
In addition to hack WiFi networks, the plane also use a IMSI catcher alike device to create a cell tower. The device emits strong signals to nearby cell phones to trick them into routing encryption disabled out-going calls via the fake base station. Then the call was routed via VoIP to the receiver (or just anyone the hacker wishes) and recorded, which is really horrible.
Although the plan can only fly under 400 feet which is enough to quite the noise and in line of sight according to FAA regulations, but it does not violate any FCC regulations, which means it can be purchased by anyone. Which also means others might be doing the same thing to spy any cell phone. Considering the price, almost anyone can afford it and those private detectives may make a fortune -:).
