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Microsoft Windows Wireless Hole

Hacker "Simple Nomad" at ShmooCon reveals flaw in Windows wireless laptop software

Mark Loveless, a senior security researcher for Vernier Threat Labs, gained access to laptops of other passengers (running Windows) during airline flights, because of this vulnerability hole in Microsoft's Windows XP or Windows 2000 software.

The hole comes from the wireless configuration of Vole, specifically for wireless detection during start-up. Though not very useful on large-scale, it still caught Vole's attention, Microsoft saying it will be fixed in the next service pack.

Until then, options include network firewalls; turning-off the wireless connection when not in use, or changing the setting on the computer's wireless card to connect only to "infrastructure networks".