KRACK Security Alert

A flaw in Wi-Fi’s WPA security protocol makes it possible for attackers to eavesdrop on your data when you connect to Wi-Fi. Dubbed KRACK, the issue exploits limitations in implementations of the handshake processing defined in the 802.11 protocol—and “works against all modern protected Wi-Fi networks,” according to Mathy Vanhoef, the researcher that discovered it. That means that if your device uses Wi-Fi, KRACK likely impacts it.

How does KRACK break Wi-Fi security?

KRACK (Key Reinstallation AttaCK) targets the third step in a four-way authentication “handshake” performed when a Wi-Fi client attempts to connect to a protected Wi-Fi network. The encryption key can be resent multiple times during step three, and if attackers collect and replay those retransmissions in particular ways, 802.11 security encryption can be broken. For a more technically detailed explanation, check out Mathy Vanhoef’s KRACK attacks website.

What product lines are affected by KRACK?
OmniAccess® WLAN
OmniAccess® Stellar WLAN
OmniTouch® 8118/8128/8128SE WLAN Handset

I own an OmniAccess WLAN product what should I do?
Update your IAP, AP and controller to the latest available software release which patches the flaw. Please refer to this document.

I own an OmniAccess Stellar WLAN product what should I do?  
ALE has already released a firmware upgrade that fixes this issue and is available on the ALE support website. Please check this page for the latest information about security advisories: http://qync.egyptawe.com/en/support/security-advisories and to see if an update is available. And more precisely please refer to this document.

Is there a workaround to mitigate the issue while waiting for the patch?
Yes, you can disable 802.11r. The only impact is that fast roaming will not work and voice over WLAN applications might potentially experience some problems in case a client has to roam from an AP to another. Please note that ALE VoWLAN IP Phones support OKC for fast roaming so they are not impacted when 802.11r is disabled.

I own 8118/8128/8128SE WLAN Handset products; what should I do?
ALE is working on the related software corrections and will publish updates as soon as possible on our ALE public website for security advisories: http://qync.egyptawe.com/en/support/security-advisories. Please check this page for the latest information. And more precisely please refer to this document.

What happens when Wi-Fi security is broken?
The attacker can eavesdrop on all non-encrypted traffic you send over the network. This can be abused to steal sensitive information such as credit card numbers, passwords, chat messages, emails, photos, and so on. Please note that if your traffic is encrypted with a higher-level protocol like HTTPS and or TLS, then you’re safe.

Is Wi-Fi security being broken in the wild?
“We are not in a position to determine if this vulnerability has been (or is being) actively exploited in the wild,” Vanhoef says. CERT’s advisory didn’t include any information about whether KRACK is being exploited in the wild, either. There are no automated tools that allow someone to deliver this attack in a simple way today. Now for some somewhat settling news: Iron Group CTO Alex Hudson says an attacker needs to be on the same Wi-Fi network as you in order to carry out any nefarious plans with KRACK. “You’re not suddenly vulnerable to everyone on the internet,” he says.

How to protect yourself from KRACK’s Wi-Fi flaw
Stick to websites that use HTTPS encryption. Check for the green lock in the address bar that ensures your web browser shows it is safe to browse with HTTPs. Secure websites are still secure even with Wi-Fi security broken. The URLs of encrypted websites will start with “HTTPS,” while unsecured websites are prefaced by “HTTP.” The Electronic Frontier Foundation’s superb HTTPS Everywhere browser plug-in can force all sites that offer HTTPS encryption to use that protection. If you’re using an encrypted virtual private network (VPN) then your traffic is secured even in case of a successful KRACK attack.

Should I change my Wi-Fi password?
This vulnerability does not expose nor reveal your Wi-Fi credentials in use on the network to an attacker. Therefore, there’s no need to change the password as part of a mitigation. The exploit targets information that should have been encrypted by the WLAN infrastructure, so the attacker doesn’t need to crack your password to implement it.

Final Note
ALE is investigating the potential impact on other products and will publish updates as soon as possible on our ALE public website for security advisories. Please regularly check the page for the latest information.