Comments on: Discovering a WEP key in XP

Question: Discovering a WEP key in XP

blue mustard — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 06:06:46 -0800

In Windows XP, is there any way of discovering the WEP key that is saved for a particular wireless connection?

Resetting the wireless router is not an option. I have full admin access on the XP box.

By: matteh

matteh — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 06:12:32 -0800

can't you just get the key from the router? you don't have to reset it.

By: blue mustard

blue mustard — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 06:46:46 -0800

No, I can't get the key from the router.

By: flabdablet

flabdablet — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 07:00:59 -0800

If you have an old Intel wireless driver, you may be in luck.

By: Science!

Science! — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 07:20:38 -0800

WZCOOK.exe

By: public

public — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 07:23:53 -0800

You could try using Kismet et al to crack the WEP key....

If you can get a dialog box with the password obscured with astisks you might be able to read it with one of those password-field-deobscuring-tools.

By: stovenator

stovenator — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 08:55:09 -0800

Public is correct. You're most likely going to have to use Kismet or similar to crack the WEP key. This will require two computers, with two wireless cards.

Computer 1 will be the Windows XP machine that already has the WEP key on it.

Computer 2 will need a wireless card with a supported chipset (Prism, Orinoco, Atheros). On Computer 2, you will set it up to capture wireless packets in monitor mode, and then possibly force weak packets to be generated on Computer 1.

You should be able to crack the WEP key this way.

By: blue mustard

blue mustard — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 09:14:42 -0800

Thanks for the answers so far. I don't have access to the router or the wireless network, so cracking the key with Kismet isn't a possibility. (I'm trying to transfer wireless settings from one box to another.) I'm a bit hesitant to run unfamiliar EXEs, but went ahead and tried WZCOOK. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to work for me.

By: Science!

Science! — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 09:24:55 -0800

Hmm... It's worked for me, several times. You're sure you have the WEP key stored on the computer? If you check the Wireless Properties of your wireless network connection and then check the network's properties in the Wireless Networks tab can you see the dots hiding the WEP key? If the key is stored wzcook will find it, but I'm not sure if it will work on WPA keys.

It outputs a text file at the root of your C drive, check that if you missed the screen that it displays.

By: llamateur

llamateur — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 11:25:55 -0800

There's a utility called WirelessKeyView from Nirsoft that seems to do exactly what you need. I haven't used it myself, but I use several of Nir's other utilities, and they've all been great.

By: blue mustard

blue mustard — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 13:52:16 -0800

That worked, llamateur. Thanks!

By: llamateur

llamateur — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 16:09:53 -0800

Cool! Glad to hear it!

By: srboisvert

srboisvert — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 00:46:16 -0800

Install a keylogger. Delete your key. Tell your wireless provider you messed something up and get them to reinstall. Be aware that saavy wireless providers will also track MAC addresses so you can't necessarily go giving the Key out after getting it unless you want to spoof MAC addresses as well..

By: flabdablet

flabdablet — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 15:14:25 -0800

Another thank you to llamateur, and to Nir Sofer. Nirsoft makes some very useful stuff indeed.