http://dailycaller.com/2014/02/25/first-contagious-wifi-computer-virus-goes-airborne-spreads-like-the-common-cold/
By Giuseppe Macri
The Daily Caller
02/25/2014
Computer science researchers have demonstrated for the first time how a
digital virus can go airborne and spread via WiFi networks in populated
areas at the same pace as a human diseases.
The "Chameleon" virus, designed by a University of Liverpool team, showed
a remarkable amount of intelligence by avoiding detection and breaking
into personal and business WiFi networks at their weakest points --
spreading at an alarming rate.
Network Security Professor Alan Marshall said the virus doesn’t try to
damage or disrupt established networks -- instead, the virus slips in
unnoticed to collect the data and log-in information of all users
connected to the network via WiFi, and seeks other WiFi networks through
them — a much more subtle, sinister and dangerous objective.
"WiFi connections are increasingly a target for computer hackers because
of well-documented security vulnerabilities, which make it difficult to
detect and defend against a virus," Marshall said in a ScienceBlog report.
"It was assumed, however, that it wasn’t possible to develop a virus that
could attack WiFi networks -- but we demonstrated that this is possible
and that it can spread quickly."
[...]
--
Subscribe to InfoSec News
http://www.infosecnews.org/subscribe-to-infosec-news/
