Vulnerabilities of Windows systems through Wi-Fi infrastructure

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to validate the existence of vulnerabilities in computer networks - wireless networks which have in their architecture Windows operating systems. In order to demonstrate the vulnerabilities that still exist in windows 10 and windows 11 operating systems, the NetBIOS Name Service, Link Local Multicast Name Resolution, multicast DNS and WPAD protocols will be exploited. By exploiting these protocols, users' access credentials to the systems can be obtained. At the same time, we will propose a series of solutions that will reduce the chances of exploiting these protocols, to increase the security level of the network. Another role of this paper is to show that the use of Wi-Fi networks for the purpose of conveying confidential data is still unsafe. It also highlights the fact that improper use of the operating system Windows can lead to obtaining access data to an attacker who does not need powerful resources. The WPA2 protocol will be exploited to gain access to network resources, to subsequently formulate a series of conclusions aimed at inhibiting or completely reducing these security issues.