Capturing wireless data packets without connecting to victims router

[Maduhasa]

Is there any way of capturing wireless data packets going between a user’s mobile device and the connected router, without connecting to that user’s (victim’s) router or without gaining that user’s WiFi credentials?
This for university research work.

Thanks in advance.

 

[sfx2000]

Is there any way of capturing wireless data packets going between a user’s mobile device and the connected router, without connecting to that user’s (victim’s) router or without gaining that user’s WiFi credentials?
This for university research work.

Thanks in advance.

You're likely to get the management frames if the AP is not using protected management frames (which is optional, and not often seen).

Content needs credentials, as that's all encrypted - that's goes for WPA/WPA2 (both TKIP and AES) - for both personal and enterprise...

There are obviously ways to subvert the trusted AP - but that's outside of the scope of the forums here.

Google search for WiFi Pineapple - turn-key solution for subversive things

 

[coxhaus]

The WiFI Pineapple is a middle man approach not reading air traffic. I don't think you can do it so better to work on something else.

 

[sfx2000]

The WiFI Pineapple is a middle man approach not reading air traffic. I don't think you can do it so better to work on something else.

Pineapple is a tool to move victims over from a secure to an open network, and then one can monitor the traffic with another machine...

@coxhaus - if you haven't used a pineapple, might be good to reserve comment there...

 

[Maduhasa]

You're likely to get the management frames if the AP is not using protected management frames (which is optional, and not often seen).

Content needs credentials, as that's all encrypted - that's goes for WPA/WPA2 (both TKIP and AES) - for both personal and enterprise...

There are obviously ways to subvert the trusted AP - but that's outside of the scope of the forums here.

Google search for WiFi Pineapple - turn-key solution for subversive things

Thanks for the reply.
Actually I just want to know if there is a method to capture packets without subverting the trusted AP or getting access to the victims connected router.
Hope the questions I’m trying to tell is clear.. and I am not considering the content. So even if the content is encrypted that’s fine. Just want to know a method to capture wireless packets that’s going to and from a user’s mobile device and the router he is connected to, without getting connected to the connected router by any means..
Thanks

 

[sfx2000]

Yes... I answered the question...

There are easy ways to just do a packet capture on Mac or Linux - with Windows, it's a bit more complicated, Acrylic WiFi with certain Broadcom cards can do this, but I've not tried it.

Capturing on OSX From the terminal - You can run the following 3 commands from a terminal to disconnect, set the channel, then begin the capture:

$ sudo /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/Current/Resources/airport -z
$ sudo /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/Current/Resources/airport --channel=36
$ sudo tcpdump -s0 -I -i en0 -w capture.pcap​

Replace “--channel=36” with --channel=<channel number of your AP>

Capture on Linux (assuming monitor mode support in the WiFi chipset and driver)

ifdown wlan0
iw dev wlan0 set channel 36
iw dev wlan0 set type monitor
ifconfig wlan0 up
tcpdump -s0 -I -i wlan0 -w capture.pcap​

Replace “--channel=36” with --channel=<channel number of your AP>