Your Favorite Wi-Fi Hot Spot is Vulnerable to Low Tech/Power DNS-Type Attack

according to the Australian Computer Emergency Response Team (AusCERT) as reported in this CNet article. The vulnerability is in the protocol for ensuring that Wi-Fi networks don't interfere with each other, called the clear channel assessment procedure (CCA). A low powered device could cause Wi-Fi networks to quit transmitting by hogging all of the channels, a denial of service (DNS) type of attack. The vulnerability is in 802.11b used by the original AirPort and most Wi-Fi networks and 802.11g (e.g. AirPort Extreme) when operating at the low speed of 802.11b. So some jerk with a PDA could walk around and jam all those convenient Wi-Fi hot spots.