> The weakness stems from the ability to enrol a device into an existing network, rather than requiring physical intervention (such as pressing the encryption button on the unit) to have it request access to a network. The enrolment capability isn't enough, however, to cause the weakness on it's own. Deriving the device's passwords from their MAC address makes the Device Access Keys predictable. Although these devices are transparent on the ethernet network, everything you need is transmitted, in the clear, across the powerline network. In effect, the only secret you need to join the network is being broadcast, in the clear, between devices who's very chipset ships with a packet sniffer allowing you to capture it. The only 100% guaranteed way to defend yourself is to stop using Powerline devices.
> The weakness stems from the ability to enrol a device into an existing network, rather than requiring physical intervention (such as pressing the encryption button on the unit) to have it request access to a network. The enrolment capability isn't enough, however, to cause the weakness on it's own. Deriving the device's passwords from their MAC address makes the Device Access Keys predictable. Although these devices are transparent on the ethernet network, everything you need is transmitted, in the clear, across the powerline network. In effect, the only secret you need to join the network is being broadcast, in the clear, between devices who's very chipset ships with a packet sniffer allowing you to capture it. The only 100% guaranteed way to defend yourself is to stop using Powerline devices.