The Network Security. Org

A guide to Wireless Security

Setting up a wireless network is incredibly easy. There?s no cable to pull, no holes to drill; just plug in your wireless access point (AP), let your wireless connection manager auto-associate, and you?re online. Unfortunately, so is every other person who happens to be within broadcast range of your AP, and that?s where your trouble starts.

Every business has information that must be kept private. Trade secrets, source code, or even the company?s accounting books can find their way into nefarious hands all too easily. If you have customer data stored on your network, it?s even more imperative to lock down access. A few credit card numbers escaping into the wild can permanently damage your customers? trust; just the possibility of credit card number theft can trigger regulatory disclosure procedures in some states. And wireless network access doesn?t stop at your business?s walls; if your network is open, anyone can squat in your parking lot and hop online.

The Threat

Know your enemy! There are three basic types of bad guys you need to guard your network against: thrillseekers and wardrivers, bandwidth thieves, and knowledgeable attackers.

Thrillseekers and casual wardrivers are the folks who drive around with a laptop, looking for wireless networks to hop on to. They often don?t do any damage; they?re motivated by the thrill of trespassing electronically. The simplest of security measures is usually enough to deter them, particularly if there are other open networks around.

Bandwidth thieves know exactly what they want. Maybe they?re sending bucketsful of spam, maybe they?re downloading pirated movies or porn. Whatever they?re doing, there?s a reason they want to do it on your network instead of their own?they don?t have to worry about being traced, they don?t have to bear liability for their actions, and they don?t have to pay for the bandwidth they use. Because they profit from intrusion, they?re more willing to crack their way into your network, but just like the thrillseekers, they?re looking for the easiest option available. Security Watch: A guide to Wireless Security -- TechNet Magazine, November ? December 2005

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