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Glossary > Wardriving

What is Wardriving?

Understanding Wardriving

The act of searching for wireless computer networks from a moving vehicle. Wardriving is a technique where individuals use portable equipment to detect and potentially access wireless networks while traveling in a vehicle. Attackers use specialized antennas GPS systems and software to discover map and potentially exploit insecure wireless networks. While sometimes conducted for research or legitimate security testing wardriving is often associated with unauthorized access attempts. Wardriving risks are addressed in wireless security standards like NIST SP 800-97 IEEE 802.11i and various security frameworks. Organizations protect against wardriving through strong wireless encryption access controls network visibility and physical security considerations. For example a healthcare organization might defend against wardriving by implementing WPA3 Enterprise encryption with strong authentication conducting regular wireless surveys to identify rogue access points maintaining wireless intrusion detection systems implementing geofencing to detect unusual connection locations and designing wireless coverage to minimize signal leakage outside physical boundaries while regularly testing for vulnerable wireless networks. Related terms Wireless security WiFi security WLAN security Rogue access point WPA WPA2 WPA3 Evil twin SSID warwalking.

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