Security Issue with 2701HGV-C router?

[tfc]

Is there a security issue with the 2701HGV-C router (firmware 6.3.9.63-plus.tm)?

The private network is using the default  IP address range (192.168.1.0 / 255.255.255.0)

The wireless interface is switched on. The private network does not have a recognisable SSID, and the SSID is not broadcast. The private network is using WPA2 security with a randomised 63 character key.

The BT Openzone facility is switched on and seems to be using the IP address range from 10.185.211.65 to 10.185.211.78.

I have 3 PCs on the private network. 1 is connected via a wired interface, the 2 remaining are connected via the wireless interface. All three devices pick up addresses in the private address range.

The router firewall is ‘on’ and ‘routing’ is enabled. MAC filtering is ‘on’ and only the two local PCs which are connected by wireless are defined using MAC addresses, in the ‘Allowed Devices’ column. Nothing is defined in the ‘Blocked’ column.

Since the upgrade to the firmware on 20-Dec-2011, the DNS table has started to show the name resolutions for any BT Openzone connected devices as well as the private network devices.

I can now see two entries for one of the private addresses (192.168.1.66) The first one has the name of one of the local PCs which connects via wireless, but the other has the name Jacks-iPhone. This is not a name used by any of the 3 ‘local’ PCs which are expected to be on the private network.

I am assuming that this means that someone has attempted to gain access to my private LAN via the wireless connection.

I understand that even taking all the recognised precautions, a user can scan the wireless channels and find the private network, but they should not be able to connect to it.

Does the fact that the router has ‘seen’ a device which is not defined in the MAC filtering tables mean that the security has been breached?

How can the device be assigned an address in the private range if the user has no access to the network?

Unless this a bug in the router reporting, it seems it might be a very serious security flaw in the router.

I would be grateful for assistance in resolving this.

Thanks

Tony

[Sogo7]

Given the fact that you are using WPA2 encryption it's unlikey to have been a hacking attempt

(unless the black hat is either a: a bloody genius or b: a complete prat)

and instead just  merely a record of a device assoctiating with the router.

There is an iPhone app called Wififofum that can actually detect 'hidden' SSID's

and similiar exist for android phones.

[tfc]

Thank you for your reply and the information contained.

I appreciate that with WPA2 in use it should be very unlikely that anyone could access the network.

My question was more whether there is some serious flaw in the 2701HGV-C firmware?

I can understand that a user can find the router and the router will know the user's unit name. Subsequently, in the case that it does log in successfully, it needs to know its MAC address to filter that.

However, if the user's unit is not able to provide a suitable login, or if it does not have an acceptable MAC address, why should it be allocated an address in the private network?

It seems to me there are two possible explanations.

1. The router's reporting is just sloppy, and no address has been assigned, but the DNS reporting drops in (perhaps) the last address used.

2. There is a real security loophole in the 2701HGV-C firmware.

Am I missing something?

Please could somebody from BT comment on the observations in this thread?

Is this a security issue, or are the devices being reported falsely by the router? This might be a serious security issue.

[kimura]

Hi. 

"However, if the user's unit is not able to provide a suitable login, or if it does not have an acceptable MAC address, why should it be allocated an address in the private network?"

Since there is WPA2 set here. Unwanted users won't be able to join your network, thus, they won't be able to get a Private IP address.

[tfc]

 I think the problem is caused by a poor implementation of DNS on the router. See