Security Issues Facts

Security Issues Facts

Most wireless access points come preconfigured or have an automatic setup routine that lets you simply connect the access point to create a simple wireless network. However, the default configuration typically has little or no security. Wireless networks are vulnerable to the following specific security attacks:

Vulnerability	Description
War driving	With war driving, an attacker scans an area looking for available wireless networks. This is typically accomplished using a high-gain antenna, or by driving around looking for wireless networks in various locations.
Hacker	A hacker is anyone that commits computer and cyber crimes by gaining unauthorized access to computer systems. A hacker can exploit system vulnerabilities, elevate privilege, and introduce new vulnerabilities that allow the attacker greater access to systems and data on the network.
Rogue access point	A rogue access point is an unauthorized access point added to the network. A hacker who gains access to your network can install a rogue wireless access point, giving him access to the wired network. Using the rogue access point, the hacker might capture network traffic, or attempt to access other network resources. Employees can easily purchase an access point and add it to the wired network. Often this is done to give the employee wireless access to the network, but is often done with little or no security implemented on the access point. The access point becomes a possible point of entry for hackers or war drivers.
Spoofed access point	A spoofed access point is an access point that is configured to look like a legitimate access point. Spoofed access points generally occur in a public area, such as an Internet cafe or public hotspot. The attacker sets up an open access point using an SSID that resembles the business name. The attacker can then monitor traffic of those connected to the spoofed access point.

Countermeasures to these vulnerabilities include:

Countermeasure	Description
Authentication	Authentication is the process of validating identity. Open authentication uses the MAC address of the wireless network adapter to connect to the wireless network, thereby allowing anyone to connect. Shared key authentication requires that clients supply a predefined key to connect. 802.1x uses usernames and passwords to authenticate users to the wireless network.
Encryption	Encryption is the process of using an algorithm or other method to transform data from plaintext to unreadable text. Because wireless transmissions are easily captured, you should implement some form of encryption on your wireless network to lower the chances of attackers successfully discovering the packet's contents.
Intrusion Detection System (IDS)	An IDS is a hardware or software device that examines the network to identify possible in-progress attacks. An IDS monitors, logs, and detects security breaches, and generates alerts if the attack is deemed to be severe.
Cisco Structured Wireless-Aware Network (SWAN)	Cisco's SWAN is a proprietary approach to securing and managing wireless networks. With SWAN: Access points must be registered on the network. This eliminates the possibility of rogue access points allowing access to the wired network. Only authorized clients are allowed to connect to the network.

 

Credit: Testout 640-802 CCNA Notes