Wardriving assessment across Mexico: Preparing for the 2026 World Cup

The article presents a thorough wardriving assessment conducted in Mexico's major cities (Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey) ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It details the infrastructure and security configurations of public Wi-Fi networks, highlighting potential risks associated with connecting to these networks. Key findings include:

1. **SSID Analysis:** 66% of networks used customized SSIDs, but default naming conventions were common, raising security concerns.

2. **Router Configurations:** Analysis revealed significant usage of devices from a few manufacturers, reflecting a standardized infrastructure that can be exploited.

3. **Signal Characteristics:** A large percentage of networks exhibited weak signals, leading to potential connectivity and performance issues.

4. **Channel Congestion:** The 2.4 GHz band was congested, with high usage on channels typically recommended for non-overlapping use due to a dense presence of access points.

5. **Security Configurations:** WPA2 was the dominant security protocol, but many networks still operated on insecure configurations, compromising user safety.

The assessment concludes with recommendations to enhance wireless security, including disabling WPS, avoiding default SSIDs, and promoting stronger encryption methods.