NetBIOS Traffic Detected

WiFi Manager triggers this alarm when it is able to detect unencrypted NetBIOS traffic on the wireless side of the network.

What is NetBIOS ?

NetBIOS stands for Network Basic Input/Output System. It is an API (Application Programming Interface) to access resources in LAN, it is built over SMB (Server Message Block) or CIFS (Common Internet File System) and permits users to manipulate remote files. NetBIOS exposes critical information about the host, provides very little security and provides mechanism for an hacker to take control of the system. Windows NT uses this as an abstraction layer from the underlying network transport protocol.

What does this alarm imply?

This alarm implies the following -

• NetBIOS is enabled on the mobile clients participating on the wireless LAN.
• The wireless traffic is not encrypted
• Since NetBIOS is enabled and the traffic is not encrypted, hackers can very easily get into the system and take away the information they want or use this information to carry out attacks.

What should the WLAN Administrator do ?

It is public knowledge that NetBIOS is vulnerable. When this NetBIOS traffic is transmitted over air, in a Wireless LAN setup, the vulnerability becomes a threat. It is better for the administrators to enforce security policies and ensure encryption of data transmitted in the WLAN.