Wireless Network Security

How vulnerable is an unprotected wireless network? Well, open the window and yell. Anyone who hears your voice could access an unprotected network with little more than a wireless adapter and a laptop. Wireless network security - or lack thereof - is a serious issue.

What makes it so susceptible to intrusion is that it has so many points of entry. It typically has several thousand square feet of unlimited connectivity. Data thieves have devised a number of methods to exploit this using techniques such as "Wardriving" and "The Evil Twin".

Wardriving is also referred to as drive-by hacking. It is simple a cracker simply drives by with a laptop, packet sniffing software, and an omnidirectional antenna to pick up on signals. The note the location and return later to poke around the network for items such as usernames, passwords, or account numbers. The also may publicize the network location so others may hack it.

The evil twin is referred to as a rogue access point. Its an access point that appears legitimate but is really just within range of a legitimate wireless network. The rogue expans the network range and provides illegitimate users around the clock access to login information and network content.

There is no single method for securing a wireless network. Your best bet is to embrace a variety of digital security methods.

First, encrypt your data. The original encryption standard proved to break down qute easily when challanged by encryption experts and mischievous crackers. A stronger system was neede so the WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) protocol was born. It usccessor, WPA2, employed several advanced encryption technologies to provide a sophisticated system of key creation and management capabilities.

Start by configuring your wireless router or gateway first then set up the various network adapters, one at a time.

Specify a unique SSID. The SSID (Service Set Identifier) identifies the network as a whole. Choose a long name, an SSID may include as many as 32 characters that can incorporate both letters and numbers. Also disable the SSID broadcast feature.

Deploy a firewall. Most wireless gateways and routers come bundled with a firewall functionality. Augment this by running a personal firewall on each computer.

Run an anti-virus program and get into the habit of turning off your network devices when you are not using them.

Configure your wireless network card to prohibit P2P (peer-to-peer; or ad hoc) networking. Never allow automatic connections. Make sure you always need to manually select your wireless access point. In addition, be sure to disable features such as remote assistance and file sharing.

When using an unsecured hotspot (access point), avoid the temptation to send confidential (restricted) information across the wireless connection. Wait until you can connect to a secure connection. If you must then be sure to encrypt the files with software installed on your laptop before sending a file.

Finally, if you need a secure network connection, select a hotspot that offers VPN pass-through support.

The wireless network on campus does not deploy any real security and they recommend you use it for reading email and other non-essential functions. If your system has a wireless card you need to make sure you keep your data secured by using encryption. Windows users see EFS (Encryption File System).