Security risks of Wireless LAN

The security risks of wireless networks have always been the focus of our attention. Therefore, we need to improve our network security from many aspects. I believe I have read the following articles to help you.

Wireless network technology provides the convenience and mobility of the network, but it also brings security risks to your network. Because the wireless local area network transmits data through wireless signals, wireless signals cannot control the spread of data in the space after being transmitted, and thus are easily intercepted by undesirable receivers. Unless visitor and device authentication and authorization mechanisms are sound enough, any user with a compatible wireless network card can access the network.

If valid data encryption is not performed, wireless data is sent in plaintext, in this way, anyone within the valid signal distance of a wireless access point can detect and receive all data from and from the wireless access point. Non-fast customers can easily access the network through wireless client devices within the range covered by wireless LAN signals without attacking the internal wired network. As long as the security mechanisms related to the security of the wireless LAN can be cracked, the local network of the company can be completely attacked. Therefore, wireless LAN is inherently insecure because it transmits data through wireless signals.

What are the security risks of a wireless LAN? What are the security risks of a wireless LAN without sound security mechanisms? Next, let's take a look at the security risks related to wireless networks.

1. Security risks caused by excessive "exposure" Wireless Networks

Wireless Networks have a certain coverage. Over-seeking coverage will lead to excessive "Exposure" of our wireless networks, allowing more wireless clients to detect wireless networks, this will increase the chance of attacks on our wireless networks, so we should pay attention to this security risk.

Sometimes we are too keen on the coverage of the wireless network, and the purchase of a Wireless AP with a large transmit power and a large antenna gain, in the security aspect of the global considerations, now we have to deal with this change of thinking. In addition, the placement of Wireless AP is also a problem, such as placing it on the windowsill will increase the chance of signal leakage.

2. Security Risks

This often happens to beginners who have no experience in wireless networks. After the customer buys a Wireless AP, the initial settings of the device security are not changed, and the Administrator Logon password and SSID of the Wireless AP are not reset, And the WEP Key is not set. This kind of security risk is most likely to happen. Because there are a lot of people using laptops with wireless NICs, the XP operating system's "Wireless Zero Configuration" also has the function of Automatically Searching for wireless networks, therefore, once the XP client enters the wireless network signal coverage range, it can automatically establish a connection, which will lead to undefended intrusion.

3. Crack the security risks that may result in fraudulent use of device identities due to general Wireless Security Settings

Even if the Wireless AP is encrypted, the wireless network is not absolutely secure. Many experienced wireless network users will set various security settings for their wireless networks. They thought these settings could withstand illegal attacks, but they do not know that wireless security technology is improving, intrusion technologies and tools are also improving.

As we have already said before, wireless network signals are transmitted in open space, so as long as a suitable wireless client device is available, wireless network signals can be received within the appropriate signal coverage range. Once the security settings of the common wireless network are cracked, you can enter the wireless network as a valid device.

The "General Wireless Security Settings" here refer to the built-in security settings in common wireless network devices, including SSID hiding, WEP encryption, WPA encryption, and MAC filtering. The peer-to-peer security mechanism between these Wireless AP and wireless clients is considered insecure so far, and is often cracked due to the easy acquisition of wireless signals, the device identity is impersonated.

Here we need to understand that the impersonating is the identity of the device, not the identity of the user (person, in the solution to wireless network security risks in the following section, we will learn that the identification of "persons" is more robust for wireless network security, is currently one of the more secure wireless network security solutions.

Currently, there are many cracking tools for wireless network security settings, from wireless network signal detection, listening, and cracking. They can be easily downloaded and used from the Internet, there are many "wireless network hacker tutorials" for you to learn. Use the following software: Network Stumbler, WildPackets AiroPeek NX, OmniPeek 4.1, WinAircrack, and so on, as long as there is enough time to capture the packets contained in the wireless Network communication signal in the communication, attackers can crack wireless network security settings, such as WEP encryption, WPA encryption, MAC filtering, and SSID hiding.