Analyze the characteristics of wireless LANs and assess the security concerns of
ID: 3761802 • Letter: A
Question
Analyze the characteristics of wireless LANs and assess the security concerns of this technology in organizations such as universities or hospitals. Identify additional areas of concern for organizations that implement a wireless LAN. Then, explain whether the implementation of a WAN would solve these problems. Explain your rationale. Rank the following IEEE 802.11 standard addresses in order of importance with the first one being the most important. Justify the reason for your chosen order.
Association
Re-association
Disassociation
Authentication
Explanation / Answer
What is Wirless Network:A wireless local area network (WLAN or wireless LAN) consists of two ormore computers that communicate wirelessly via radio waves. This is contrasted to a wired LAN,in which each computer in the network is physically tied/connected with an Ethernet cable to theserver's network switch or hub.
Common Security for Wirless Network:
Review existing security policies. Before getting too far with the security test/evaluation, becomefamiliar with the policies that the company has (related to/looking at/thinking about) wirelessLAN security. This provides a test result for deciding/figuring out whether or not a company isobeying their own policies. In addition to make a test/evaluation and correspondingrecommendations for policy changes. Decide/figure out whether the policy leaves any room for acomputer criminal to access or harm company useful things/valuable supplies.
It's very important that all access points have setup settings that obey the policies and providethe proper level of security. In addition need to make sure that methods are in place that spreads around security policies to workers in an effective manner.
Review the system (related to the beautiful design and construction of buildings, etc.) and setups:
Meet with information systems personnel and read through related (paperwork that proves or supports something) to gain an understanding of the system's (related to the beautiful design and construction of buildings, etc.) and setups of access points.Need this to decide/figure outwhether there are any design flaws that provide weaknesses that could allow a computer criminal inside the system.
Review operational support tools and procedures: Some security weaknesses appear when acompany supports a WLAN. As a result, learn as much as possible about existing support toolsand procedures to spot possible problems. Most companies configure the access points over thewired Ethernet spine/boldness. With this process, the passwords sent to open a connection witha particular access points is sent in the clear (in other words), decoded over the wired network.As a result, a computer criminal with watching/supervising equipment hooked to the Ethernetnetwork can likely capture the passwords and rearrange/change the access point.
Interview users: Be sure to talk with a sample of workers to decide/figure out whether they areaware of the security policies, at least to a level of security that they can control.Do the usersknow that they must coordinate the (instance of buying something for money) and installation ofwireless LAN parts/pieces with the appropriate organization , Even thought the policy states this,don't count on everyone having knowledge of the policy. A new employee or someone whohasn't seen the policy may buy an access point from a local office supply store and install it onthe (related to big business) network without any security settings enabled to provide wirelessconnectivity within their office. It's also a good idea to (check for truth/prove true) that people areusing personal firewalls or that they know they should .
(check for truth/prove true) setups of wireless devices: A part of/amount of the security policyshould define appropriate access point setups that will offer a related level of security. As part ofthe test/evaluation, walk through the facilities having access points and use tools such asAirMagnet or AiroPeek to capture the access point setups. If the company has (controlled by one central place) support software such as AirWave or CiscoWorks in place then you should be ableto view the setup settings from a single console attached to the wired side of the network. This isto figure out which security (machines/methods/ways) are actually in use and whether or notthey obey effective policies.
(ask lots of questions about/try to find the truth about) physical installations of access points: Aswalk through the facilities, (ask lots of questions about/try to find the truth about) the installationof access points by noting their physical (how easy something is to get to, use, or understand),(device that receives TV and radio signals) type and orientation, and radio wave spread into parts of/amounts of the facility that don't have physical security controls. The access points should bemounted in a position that would make it hard for someone to go unnoticed and physicallyhandle the access point. An access point simply placed on top of book shelf, for example, wouldmake it easy for a computer criminal to swap the access point with an open one that doesn'thave any security enabled. Or, the computer criminal could attach a laptop to the console port toreset the access point. If the access points are all mounted above the ceiling tiles and out of plainview, however, someone would need to use a ladder and would probably be the center of attention by an employee or security guard.
Identify sneaky and dishonest (or boldly independent) access points: A problem that's very hard to enforce and significantly harms/(lowers prices) the security of the wireless LAN is when anemployee installs a personal access point in their office. Most of the time, these installationsdon't obey security policies and result in an open, non-secure entry port to the (related to big business) network. In fact, a computer criminal can use sniffing tools to alert them when such anopportunity exists. As a result, scan for these unauthorized access points as part of thetest/evaluation. Most companies will be surprised to learn how many they'll find. The mosteffective method for detecting sneaky and dishonest (or boldly independent) access points is towalk through the facilities with sniffing tools, such as AirMagnet or AiroPeek. Also, the companyshould occasionally scan the network for potential sneaky and dishonest (or boldly independent)access points from the wired side of the network.
Perform penetration tests: In addition to hunting for sneaky and dishonest (or boldly independent) access points, try going a step further and attempt to access (related to big business) useful things/valuable supplies using tools common tools available to computer criminals. For instance, can you use AirSnort to crack through WEP? Is it possible to spend time with/talk to an access point from outside the company's controlled outside border? (definitely/as one would expect) if WEP is turned off, then your job will be easy. If strong (turning messages into secret code) and (verifying someone's identity) ways of doing things are in use, then you'lllikely not find a way in.
Carefully study security gaps: The information you gather during the test/evaluation provides abasis for understanding the security (way of standing/attitude) of a company or organization.After collecting information in the above steps, spend some time thinking about possible gaps insecurity. This includes issues with policy, network (related to the beautiful design and construction of buildings, etc.), operational support, and other items that weaken security, suchas presence of unauthorized access points and abilities to penetrate the network. Thisneeds/demands you to think like a computer criminal and uncover any and all methods thatmake it easier for someone to penetrate and access or control company useful things/valuable supplies through the wireless LAN.
Recommend improvements: As spot weaknesses in the security of the wireless LAN, researchand describe methods that will counter the issues. Start by recommending improvements to thepolicies, which command/(have someone write what you say) what the company needs/demandsin terms of security for the wireless LANs. This provides a basis for defining technical and (related to the usual step-by-step way of doing things) solutions that will strengthen the security of thesystem to a level that protects the company's interests.
IEEE 802.11 Services:
The 802.11 standard defines different frame types that stations (NICs and access points) use forcommunications, as well as managing and controlling the wireless link. Every frame has a controlfield that shows the 802.11 rules of conduct version, frame type, and different indicators, such aswhether WEP is on, power management is active, and so on. In addition all frames contain MACaddresses of the source and destination station and access point , a frame sequence number,frame body and frame check sequence for error detection .
The 802.11 standard defines services that provide the functions that the LLC layerneeds/demands for sending MAC Service Data Units (MSDUs) between two things/businesses onthe network. These services, which the MAC layer tools, fall into two categories:
Station Services
Distribution System Services These include (verifying someone's identity), Association,(disconnection with something), Distribution, and Reassociation.
The following sections define the station and distribution system services.
Station Services
The 802.11 standard defines services for providing functions among stations. A station may bewithin any wireless element on the network, such as a handheld PC or handheld scanner. Also, allaccess points put into use station services. To provide necessary ability to do things, thesestations need to send and receive MSDUs and put into use (good) enough levels of security.
(verifying someone's identity):
Because wireless LANs have limited physical security to prevent unauthorized access, 802.11defines (verifying someone's identity) services to control LAN access to a level equal to a wiredlink. Every 802.11 station, whether part of an independent BSS or an ESS network, must use the(verifying someone's identity) service before beginning and building on a connection referred toas an association in 802.11 terms with another station with which it will communicate. Stationsperforming (verifying someone's identity) send a unicast management (verifying someone's identity) frame to the similar station.
The IEEE 802.11 standard defines the following two (verifying someone's identity) services:
1.Open system (verifying someone's identity) This is the 802.11 default (verifying someone's identity) method. It is a very simple two-step process. First the station wanting to (verify someone's identity) with another station sends a (verifying someone's identity) managementframe containing the sending station's identity. The receiving station then sends back a framepointing to/showing whether it recognizes the identity of the (related to identity checking)station.
2.Shared key (verifying someone's identity) This type of (verifying someone's identity) assumesthat each station has received a secret shared key through a secure channel independent fromthe 802.11 network. Stations (verify someone's identity) through shared knowledge of the secretkey. Use of shared key (verifying someone's identity) needs/demands (putting into) use of theWired Equal Privacy set of computer instructions (WEP).
Deauthentication:
When a station wants to disconnect from another station, it calls for/uses the deauthenticationservice. Deauthentication is a notice/communication and cannot be refused. A station performsdeauthentication by sending a (verifying someone's identity) management frame or group offrames to many stations to advise of the end/ending/firing of (verifying someone's identity).
Association:
Each station must at first call for/use the association service with an access point before it cansend information through a distribution system. The association maps a station to thedistribution system via an access point. Each station can spend time with/talk to only a singleaccess point, but each access point can spend time with/talk to many stations. Association is alsoa first step to providing the ability for a station to be mobile between BSSs.
(disconnection with something):
A station or access point may call for/use the (disconnection with something) service to end anexisting association. This service is a notice/communication; therefore, neither party may refuseend/ending/firing. Stations should disconnect when leaving the network. An access point, forexample, may disconnect all its stations if being removed for maintenance.
Reassociation:
The reassociation service enables a station to change its current state of association.Reassociation provides added/more ability to do things to support BSS-change (from one thing to another) ability to move around for connected stations. The reassociation service enables astation to change its association from one access point to another. This keeps the distributionsystem informed of the current mapping between access point and station as the station movesfrom one BSS to another within an ESS. Reassociation also enables changing associationattributes of an established association while the station remains connected with the sameaccess point. The mobile station always starts the reassociation service.