How to Crack a WEP Key

A WEP key is a key that protects your wireless network. To truly test the strength of your security you need to try to attack the network as if you were an outsider. If a person can break your WEP key they can gain access to your wireless network. Once inside the sky is the limit. This is similar to the way most people protect their homes. Very few do more then protect the doors with locks. Your protection can only be as strong as your weakest point. To find where that is you need to test. Trying to break your WEP key is one step in that test.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer
• Packet sniffing program
• Key cracking program
• Wireless card that works with the packet sniffing program.
• Access point.

1. You will need a packet sniffer program. Some of the programs out there come as source code that needs to be complied before use. If you are not familiar with how to do this then stick to a program; Wireshark rocks! Not only do they provide great directions but there are quite a few tutorials and “practice labs” on the internet so that you can get the hang of it. Did I mention it is free? You must have administrative access to your computer or laptop to install this program.

2. To test your access point set one up that is the same except for the IP in a test environment. If you crack any other network you have to have permission first. Doing this without permission is against the law.

3. Capture packets according to the directions of the program and after about an hour you should have had enough time to locate enough packets for comparison. Use the program aircrack to compare the packets and provide the key from the traffic captured. The entire process, worst case scenario, could take up to 35 minutes. This timeline depends on setup time and how long the key is that you are trying to break. There are other programs that you can use to crack the key but aircrack is probably the quickest out there.

Tips & Warnings

• Some packet sniffer programs only work with some wireless cards. Check to see if your wireless card is on the list of cards for which ever program you pick.
• Hacking a network that is not your own is against the law. This article should only be used to test your own network once security is set up.