Enterprise Wireless network security

Wireless network technology allows companies to dramatically expand the use of their computers-especially for those with high mobility, such as health care, business work or running around the factory.

The main difficulty with building a wireless network is security issues-especially for companies that have to deal with sensitive information in particular industries, such as the HIPAA and GLB Act in the United States, which stipulates that certain types of data require a high degree of security.

It is necessary to make a safety plan before you build a wireless network, but the safety measures for small companies cannot run well in large enterprises. Therefore, it is necessary to plan a security plan that meets the specific needs of the company.

Security issues for wireless networks

Because wireless transmissions are transmitted through open air waves, the data of the wireless network is more easily tapped or interfered. If your wireless network is not properly protected, unauthorized wireless eavesdroppers (war driver) or other people within your wireless network have the means to do the following:

Misuse of the company's Internet bandwidth, free access to the network, manufacturing traffic, so that legitimate users of access slowed. (Computer science)

Take your network as a springboard for attacking other computers or doing illegal acts, such as downloading or distributing pirated software, pirated music or child pornography.

Watch, copy, modify, or delete files on the computer on the company's wireless wired network.

Let the company's computers infect viruses, trojan, worms, and other malicious software programs.

By making the workstation on the corporate network or overloading the network, it triggers a service interruption that makes it impossible for him to provide services to legitimate users.

Small (and small budget) company's wireless network security

Small companies generally have only a limited budget, which often represents a lack of 24x7 network management personnel, and can not afford to properly set the wireless network of security experts. The good news, however, is to make the Internet more secure than the "factory defaults", without spending a lot of money. The key is the right setting.

The goal of each security management plan is to make the intrusion process more complex, require more time, and be caught in a higher probability to guard against potential intruders or attackers. Even if you are installing fences in your yard, lock the door, keep a dog in the yard, put a latch on the window and the door, install the burglar, and you can't guarantee that the thief won't get in--in fact, a professional thief can almost always avoid these things--─ but you can increase their difficulty. This means that a sudden intruder is more likely to avoid your home and find a more accessible house to steal.

In general, hackers on the internet, like traditional thieves, tend to find simple targets to invade. So the more obstacles you have, the more likely you are to let them give up and find another, more simply intrusive network. Especially now there are many wireless networks without even a little security.

Some security experts may tell you that it's totally useless to change the preset SSID, turn off the SSID broadcast, start MAC filtering, and so on, because there's always a way to break these protections. It's kind of like saying that if your door lock is cheap and easy to pry, you don't have to lock it. While your overall enterprise security cannot rely on these simple methods alone, any of them can slow down intruders and increase their difficulties, so these measures should be put into your security plan.

Small businesses can also use these other inexpensive, or free, security measures in a cheap wireless network access point (WAP):

With a fixed IP location, DHCP is turned off at the router or WAP end, leaving the user without access to an IP location that can be used easily.

To minimize the coverage of the wireless access point, the remote intruder must use a high gain antenna to receive the signal.

When you do not need to use the wireless network temporarily, the WAP shuts down. Some small companies may only need a wireless network sometimes, for example, when partners come to the company, or when mobile employees need to use laptops in their offices.

Of course, encryption is one of the best security measures you can install for free. Make sure that you use Wireless network protection access (WPA) instead of wireless Peer-to-peer security (WEP) for encryption, which is far more vulnerable than the former. To use WPA, you may need to update your WAP and/or your wireless NIC, but this is worth the cost. If you do not continually update your operating system, you may also need to install WPA clients on your computer, but if the latest Windows XP Service pack is secure, or if you switch to Windows Vista, you will be able to support WPA (which also provides additional security).

Wireless network security for large organizations

As companies grow, it becomes more important to limit the use of wireless networks. It is important to establish a policy to prevent the emergence of unauthorized wireless points of origin while monitoring the tracking periodically. While good policy is not enough, you also need to spend some cost to implement this policy.

Use a firewall to separate one or more wireless networks from a company, or consider a wireless access network in a DMZ or perimeter network so that intruders cannot attack a wired network even if the wireless client is cracked. Users on the wireless network are also required to use VPN when connecting to a wired network.

Use an IDs or response sensor to monitor all online on the wireless network. Use network Access Protection to manage wireless clients so that you can verify that they are configured correctly before your computer uses the network.

Conduct wireless network penetration testing to assess the security threats of wireless networks and to address them.

Conclusion

Wireless networks can make it easier for you to handle your business, but it also makes it easier for intruders to do their illegal work. It is important to establish a wireless network plan to meet the needs of the company. As companies and security budgets grow, you can add more and more complex security mechanisms.