I always had concerns about Eircom’s default set up for their wireless broadband routers ever since one of my clients asked me to set one up for them. When you get a wireless router from Eircom, you are also given a disc which has a program on it to help you generate your WEP key. With the program loaded on your computer, you simply enter the serial key on the side of the router and bang, you have the WEP key - to write down and take away.
In my mind, this is a huge security risk.
Can you imagine if you had a disgruntled employee who knew about this simple hack?
Before he leaves the job that he’s just been fired from, he decides to take a quick peek into the Comms room and take down the serial key of your router. He trots off home and pops in his own copy of the Eircom CD and gets the key for your wireless network. Then he drives up outside the office later that evening and breaks into your network to cause havok. How easy was that???
For that reason, I’ve always suggested to my clients never to use the default installation for these routers.
But unfortunately for Eircom, it gets worse. What if all you needed were the 8 digits at the end of every default Eircom wireless network SSID name to generate this key and access any of the many Eircom wireless networks there are when you walk down a typical Dublin street?
Well this is now all you need. A typical eircom wireless network SSID looks something like “eircom2173 9093″. I’m sure you’ve seen one plenty of times while looking for a live wireless connection.
So now a simple webpage is all it takes to crack the network. Simply take those last eight digits, e.g. “2173 9093″ and visit a web page. A friend of mine showed me the little webpage he has created to crack the WEP code of any Eircom network, by simply having those 8 digits to hand.
There’s a good discussion going on about this situation at http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055153550 and Bart voices his opinion here too, including suggestions on how to avoid being hacked here.
#1 by ross canpolat at April 15th, 2008
| Quote
my god…how thick can eircom get!
#2 by Trevor at July 11th, 2008
| Quote
this is crazy i have eircom broadband at home…..wot is that website ur on about ill have to investigate this
#3 by Jew at November 14th, 2008
| Quote
dude, you’re using WEP…… OF COURSE ITS NOT SECURE!!!!
it can be broken in minutes, like 5 minutes, and from far away, not sitting right next to your router!
#4 by ronan at January 26th, 2009
| Quote
Hi,
I have a mac and am having trouble getting it on my eircom wireless with a netopia router
i have entered my network key but it is not connecting
i have connected useing a belkin router no problem
the mac is asking for a wep password,
am i doing somthing wrong,
any suggestions?
thanks
Ronan
#5 by Tom Doyle at January 27th, 2009
| Quote
Sounds like you have the wrong key to be honest.
#6 by Jeff at November 14th, 2009
| Quote
The problem with wireless these days is that people are constantly using some form of encryption and to be honest, Eircom’s setup on the Netopia boxes are not the most secure. Basically one of the best things to do is only allow internet access via the MAC Address on your wireless network card, any other device that is not on the list does not get internet access. Also, that configure the router can only be done via a network cable connection, with a changed user name and password. The flaw with the Eircom Netopia boxes is that the page that the page Tom Doyle was referring to (http://s4dd.yore.ma/eircom/) also can give you the manufacturer’s user name and password to the box…not the Administrator’s account. This is also know as the backdoor account. Until Eircom changes their standard Netopia switches, Customer’s will suffer from people doing what’s known as “War Driving” where sad individuals can scann whilst driving and see ssids setup kindly by Eircom.
If you’re really smart with your router and understand how it works. You can changes the OS on it or download it from a 3rd party specialist. But I can’t stress enough, if you make a mess of it, it can permanently damage the Netopia box. This cannot be fixed by Eircom for free either when they inspect it.
Enjoy!!!
#7 by ft at November 15th, 2009
| Quote
Always use WPA and change the SSID.
Not hack proof but It’s at least more secure then WEP & a default SSID.
I can’t believe the amount of people in my neighborhood who have unsecured open wifi … lol
#8 by silver at March 12th, 2010
| Quote
it goddanm works. i kave hacked the school 25mb/s internet with this. and the school admin told me that students can not get the password. i love eircom and their crappy security
#9 by jeff at March 12th, 2010
| Quote
Hey silver, not really a hack as it’s all done for ya buddy, it would be if it had decent security and you accomplished this on your own merit. It’s down to the guys that wrote the program…..not the user. Enjoy though
#10 by jeff at March 12th, 2010
| Quote
Ronan, have you tried connecting to the Eircom box with the wireless security turned off? If you connect via a network cable and turn off the security and see if you can connect wirelessly then. Shows if the wireless is working properly and then. From what you wrote, I would agree with Tom Doyle.
#11 by Tom Doyle at March 12th, 2010
| Quote
:rolleyes: @ Jeff…..
Of course it’s a “hack”! That’s like saying using a brute force hacking tool isn’t “hacking” because it’s doing all the work….
The fact he got in has nothing to do with the tool, the tool just made his life easier. The reason he was able to hack in was because the gobshites left a gapping hole in how they generated the WEP keys.
You could work out the key with a piece of paper….
#12 by jeff at March 12th, 2010
| Quote
:sigh: @ Tom….. LMAO You and I know that bud, as I said if it had been decent security. We chatted about this ages ago bud lol. Hope all is well?
#13 by Tom Doyle at March 12th, 2010
| Quote
It’s all good!
#14 by Anto at March 24th, 2010
| Quote
Works, class.
#15 by aoy at June 6th, 2010
| Quote
I have a netopia 2247NWG wireless router.i get it from eircom phone line.now i have smart telecom broadband line.but now when i connect it to the smart telecom line, i found wireless connection in my computer that eircom-234543954 something like that.but i cann’t access to the internet. i think its lock to the eircom.can you give a right solution how can i unlock this router.because i have the smart telecom router but its not wireless. so i want to make my house wireless by using the netopia 2247NWG which i get it from eircom.
#16 by sarah at August 29th, 2010
| Quote
sorry but it not working out for me. still not connecting
#17 by uno at February 12th, 2011
| Quote
u can hack into it in 1min its so handy i can get in to the ppl i live beside
#18 by RC Neruh at May 3rd, 2011
| Quote
I always use WPA instead of WEP and I also make sure that the SSID is being changed. That way I feel much secure.
#19 by Stx at May 16th, 2011
| Quote
Yes I fully agree with changing SSID. But if there is a will there is a way. Its really hard to brake software securities but few wrong clicks and you can let someone get in. Always use firewall , anti-virus , and always use own unique passwords.
#20 by John at July 22nd, 2011
| Quote
Glad we don’t use Eircom.
#21 by shane at April 12th, 2012
| Quote
my eircom routerhas been hacked about 5 times now all they type in it (bastered) and it will connect
the they go in to properties and they can see ur password and then they forget the network off there computer and then connect again with d write password ive tried it with my router and it work im thinking of changing networks so all this shit will stopwith my router
#22 by richard at June 21st, 2012
| Quote
does anybody no ny good hacks for hacking eircom broadband ?