How to Block Wifi Password from Being Viewed

[jacksghost]

I have a Netgear R6300 wifi router in my office and it is password protected with WPA2-Personal security. However, someone walked in my office the other day, used their laptop to view wifi networks, chose my wifi network, opened Properties, checked Show Characters, and there was my password. No hacker program needed, he just went to properties are viewed it.

I've seen little hacker programs online that will get find the wifi password so I'm sure nothing is full proof, but I have to at least make it harder than right-clicking on my network and viewing Properties.

So how do I block others from doing the same thing and viewing my wifi password?

 

[USAFRet]

It can't work like that. Cracking a WPA2 password, while not 100% impossible, is non-trivial.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Did he access this info from just trying to connect or did he go in thru:

http://www.routerlogin.net/start.htm

 

[reedo_43]

Interesting problem with no real good answer. Are all of the computers password protected?

 

[Someone Somewhere]

It can't work like that. Cracking a WPA2 password, while not 100% impossible, is non-trivial.

I think this is a case where the password was already entered into the laptop, so obtaining it just meant opening the settings and finding out what it was authenticating as.

@OP, about the only way to do this would be to not use WPA(2)-PSK, and switch to WPA(2)-Enterprise with RADIUS authentication. Devices need to know some token to be able to authenticate with the network, whether this is a password, username/password combination, or certificate.

 

[reedo_43]

No, he probably went into manage wireless networks, right clicked, properties, security, show password.

 

[USAFRet]

Did he access this info from just trying to connect or did he go in thru:

http://www.routerlogin.net/start.htm

Yes, this. If the router was left at default settings for login and password, AND wireless administration was turned on, someone could log in to the router and see it.
If that is the case, change them.

 

[photonboy]

Did he access this info from just trying to connect or did he go in thru:

http://www.routerlogin.net/start.htm

THIS is probably what happened.

You have to set a password on the ROUTER itself so people can't view the password you set for it. The default is likely "admin" and "password" or something like that to look at the settings so change that.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Yes, those are the defaults.

No, he probably went into manage wireless networks, right clicked, properties, security, show password.

That ony works if you typed it in before and system remembers it.

 

[USAFRet]

It can't work like that. Cracking a WPA2 password, while not 100% impossible, is non-trivial.

I think this is a case where the password was already entered into the laptop, so obtaining it just meant opening the settings and finding out what it was authenticating as.

@OP, about the only way to do this would be to not use WPA(2)-PSK, and switch to WPA(2)-Enterprise with RADIUS authentication. Devices need to know some token to be able to authenticate with the network, whether this is a password, username/password combination, or certificate.

Yes. If that password had already been used by that laptop, all bets are off.
For a random device that has never connected and the user does not know the password.....the pwd does NOT just display.
That would completely defeat the use of a password.

 

[Someone Somewhere]

Well, you clearly can't get the password from System Properties without it having previously entered there.

My guess is the OP is trying to prevent people who already have one authorised device from allowing more to be used.

 

[Cons29]

that cant be right, you cant just "show password"

 

[reedo_43]

yes you can

 

[USAFRet]

yes you can

How?
For a device that has never connected to that WiFi, and a user who does not know it.....please describe how a PC would trivially discover the WPA2 password.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

yes you can

yes, you can.... I can look at properties and there it is ! But the only reason it's there is because I typed it in when I first logged in and the system remembers it.

 

[Cons29]

then there you go, you cant just "show password" because that just defeats the purpose of having a password.
and since the password is remembered, then the "show password" is not the issue. that is there for convenience so you dont have to re enter it everytime.
one quick solution, change the password.

 

[jacksghost]

Did he access this info from just trying to connect or did he go in thru:

http://www.routerlogin.net/start.htm

THIS is probably what happened.

You have to set a password on the ROUTER itself so people can't view the password you set for it. The default is likely "admin" and "password" or something like that to look at the settings so change that.

No, they did not go in thru www.routerlogin.net. Even if they tried, I have changed the router login so its not using the default admin/password login.

The person walked into my office for the first time using a Macbook Pro and simply viewed the available local wifi networks, chose mine, opened Properties, checked Show Characters, and it displayed my password.

Their laptop has never been in my office before and the password was not previously entered on the laptop. He didn't use any hacking tools, just simply went in to properties and was able to view my password.

 

[USAFRet]

Did he access this info from just trying to connect or did he go in thru:

http://www.routerlogin.net/start.htm

THIS is probably what happened.

You have to set a password on the ROUTER itself so people can't view the password you set for it. The default is likely "admin" and "password" or something like that to look at the settings so change that.

No, they did not go in thru www.routerlogin.net. Even if they tried, I have changed the router login so its not using the default admin/password login.

The person walked into my office for the first time using a Macbook Pro and simply viewed the available local wifi networks, chose mine, opened Properties, checked Show Characters, and it displayed my password.

Their laptop has never been in my office before and the password was not previously entered on the laptop. He didn't use any hacking tools, just simply went in to properties and was able to view my password.

What you describe cannot happen. Or the entire WPA2 concept is completely and totally hosed.

Sorry, but it can't do that.

 

[Cons29]

yeah, as i have said it defeats the purpose. this things have been around for a long time. i am not saying they are perfectly secure but not like this.

change the password and see. and i dont mean the one you changed before, that does not count. change it AGAIN, see if they still see it

 

[Someone Somewhere]

My guess would be one of your employees leaked the password.

Another option is they spent the few hours outside in a car needed to break WPS, then entered the password and walked in.

Ensure there are no software/firmware upgrades for your router, then change the password.

 

[Cons29]

even by brute force, it should take a while. and i don't think it is worth the time

 

[Someone Somewhere]

WPS has major vulnerabilities in both implementation and fundamental design. A few hours is enough to crack it, and the router then happily hands over the password.

http://arstechnica.com/business/2012/01/hands-on-hacking-wifi-protected-setup-with-reaver/

About six hours, and Cisco WAPs/Routers don't allow you to disable WPS.

 

[dwaynecook1993]

The only way for this to actually happen is for someone to access a computer with the wifis password go in via right clicking the wifi symbol in the system tray open network& internet settings >network and sharing center>clicking Wi-Fi (SAIDNETWORK) then wireless properties >security.............. now where there is a windows defender icon a check box and the words (SHOW CHARACTERS) by checking the check box and viewing the wifi password on a device YOU or EMPLOYEE authorized via wifi password on your on behalf this shows the wifi password..... now my question HOW IN THE WORLD DO YOU BLOCK THIS ON A DEVICE that it DOES NOT show the wifi password

 

[bill001g]

The only way for this to actually happen is for someone to access a computer with the wifis password go in via right clicking the wifi symbol in the system tray open network& internet settings >network and sharing center>clicking Wi-Fi (SAIDNETWORK) then wireless properties >security.............. now where there is a windows defender icon a check box and the words (SHOW CHARACTERS) by checking the check box and viewing the wifi password on a device YOU or EMPLOYEE authorized via wifi password on your on behalf this shows the wifi password..... now my question HOW IN THE WORLD DO YOU BLOCK THIS ON A DEVICE that it DOES NOT show the wifi password

You are on a old thread but what do you expect if you do not protect the laptop from unauthorized access. They can steal you bank account numbers if you are dumb enough to leave that screen open also. This problem completely goes away in large corporations because they run enterprise mode which in many cases is using the microsoft domain passwords.