Wireless LAN Security with Example

Employees: 

                                      Employees can unwittingly help hackers gain access to the Enterprise network in several ways. An employee could go to an office supply store and buy an AP for less than $100, install the AP in his office, using default settings of no security, and create a small wireless LAN. 

This would allow a hacker to gain access to the rest of the Enterprise from the coffee shop across the street. Additionally, if the client does not use encryption, company data going between the legitimate employee client PC and the Enterprise network can be easily copied and understood by attackers outside the building.

Rogue AP: The attacker captures packets in the existing wireless LAN, finding the SSID and cracking security keys (if they are used). Then the attacker can set up her own AP, with the same settings, and get the Enterprise’s clients to use it.

To reduce the risk of such attacks, three main types of tools can be used on a WLAN:

=> Mutual authentication
=> Encryption
=> Intrusion tools