Quick Tips

Check security with port scanning

As part of analyzing the security vulnerabilities of a wireless network, I generally run SuperScan (a free port scanner) to find open TCP or UDP ports that may offer security holes. SuperScan runs on a Windows laptop and scans all ports via the wireless network. Most of the time, SuperScan returns information (e.g., IP address) about open port 80 (http) interfaces on access points and printers, but it also finds other open ports made available by the installation of various applications.

Of course you can place the found IP address of the node, such as a printer, in your web browser and reach the configuration screen for the associated device or application. Since most users don't implement an admin user name and password on printers, for example, a hacker could (on some printers) configure the printer to send all printed data to a capture file on their laptop - not a good thing!

Just for kicks, try scanning your own network with SuperScan. You'll probably be amazed at what you find.