[LEDE-DEV] Is there a Image for TP-Link TL-WA854RE (WiFi Range Extender) ?

[Alberto Bursi]

On 02/19/2017 01:34 PM, Mathias Kresin wrote:
> 19.02.2017 13:10, Alberto Bursi:

> I'm still the opinion that bringing up an unencrypted wireless without
> user interaction is really bad idea.
>
> The commit fixed the following problem: A user flashes one of the
> mentioned devices and is not aware that the flash is finished or (s)he
> get distracted in between. During this time period anyone can connect to
> the AP and can do harmful things.

What "harmful things" you had in mind?

That device with default config is disconnected from anything as it 
lacks ethernet, only thing that can be done is some kind of malware 
injection in the device itself from someone else in relative vicinity.

Assuming this is a threat at all, would this system stop this?
I doubt it. Such things would likely be automated bots, and a few 
seconds after the user pushes the button to enable the wifi to do his 
first configuration such bots will have already pwned the device.

Leaving wifi on in router/AP devices is bad and we all agree (people may 
forget the wifi open for ages, has happened and will happen again), but 
on these devices where there is no ethernet the user MUST connect and 
configure the device anyway, and this means he MUST touch wifi 
configuration anwyay and make his own choices on passwords and whatnot. 
It's very unlikely he will "forget" it open as the device will not work 
*at all* until he does.
And even if he does, the device will only be exposed to the 
abovementioned (highly unlikely) malware injections from a local 
attacker, not leave his internet free for all and also access to devices 
in his LAN.

LEDE does not enforce password complexity (nor having a password at 
all), nor limit number of login attempts, nor protect by default serial 
with login that are far more interesting attack vectors affecting far 
more devices.

Then we have restrictions for very specific corner cases like blocking 
access to uboot/bootloader envs and this 
wifi-disabled-that-requires-a-button-to-be-enabled.

The main reason I'm so vocal about this is that you are remapping 
buttons that would be more useful if left free for the user to set up 
for his own use, without having to patch the sources.

-Alberto