416: Zealous Autoconfig
| Zealous Autoconfig |
 Title text: I hear this is an option in the latest Ubuntu release. |
[edit] Explanation
In this comic, Cueball is seen attempting to connect his laptop to a Wi-Fi network. He manages to find a secure access point named "Lenhart Family" (which is pesumably Miss Lenhart's home Wi-Fi access point) and attempts to connect to it.
The laptop's Wi-Fi autoconfig utility, instead of requesting a password, first attempts using "common" passwords (known as a dictionary attack). Failing this, it attempts to exploit a WEP vulnerability, which surprises Cueball. This also fails, possibly because Miss Lenhart used WPA instead of WEP.
In the third panel, the autoconfig then connects to Cueball's Bluetooth phone and uses it to call a local school and finds that Miss Lenhart's children are attending.
In the fourth panel, the autoconfig notifies "field agents" to kidnap Miss Lenhart's children, then starts "negotiating" with her. Cueball, frightened by these actions, repeatedly presses Ctrl-C in an attempt to cancel the process, with little success. Ctrl+C is used to abort programs started from a terminal (Unix/Linux) or a command line prompt (cmd.exe under Windows).
The title text mentions Ubuntu, a Linux distribution that attempts to be as user friendly as possible.
[edit] Transcript
- [Cueball sitting on a chair with his laptop in his lap]
- Laptop: Starting WiFi autoconfig... searching for WiFi... Found no open networks.
- Laptop: Found secure net SSID "Lenhart Family"
- Laptop: Trying common passwords... Failed. Checking for WEP Vulnerabilities...
- Cueball: Um.
- Laptop: None found.
- [Cueball still sitting with laptop in his lap, but hand is on chin. Phone on table across room starts vibrating]
- Laptop: Connecting to Bluetooth phone... Calling local school... Found Lenhart children.
- [Cueball furiously typing on his laptop]
- Laptop: Notifying field agents. Children acquired. Calling Lenhart parents. Negotiating for WiFi password...
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