Wireless Local Area Network: Security Issues and Countermeasures

[Name of the Institute]

Introduction1

Security Issues1

Active Attacks1

Types of Active Attacks1

Denial-of-Service (DoS)2

Message Modification2

Replay2

Masquerading2

Passive Attacks2

Traffic Analysis3

Eavesdropping3

Other Types of Attacks3

Availability Attacks3

Authentication Attacks3

Confidentiality Attacks3

Integrity Attacks3

Access Control Attacks4

Countermeasures4

Technical Countermeasures4

Turning on Encryption4

Activation of Firewall4

Changing default SSID4

Prevention of Auto Connection to Open WiFi5

Disabling adapter of WiFi5

Operational Countermeasures5

Management Countermeasures5

Summary6

References8

Wireless Local Area Network: Security Issues and Countermeasures

Introduction

Organizations have found the technology of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) extremely convenient and easy to use. The technology has grown in popularity at a rapid pace. These types of networks enable users to share applications and information with a wireless network without requiring any type of physical connectivity. The technology of WLAN is driven by various factors such as increased mobility, flexibility, and reliability. Additionally, installation in regions that are difficult for wiring, cost-savings that are long term in nature, and reduced time for installation are other significant factors that have contributed to the enormous growth of this technology (Lengen, 2005). The technology of WLAN provides a wide range of benefits to the users. However, it also brings several significant restrictions as far as the aspect of security is concerned. As the medium for communication of WLAN is radio, it is more prone to eavesdropping and other types of malicious activities as compared to the networks that are physically wired. There is a wide range of attacks that can be deployed by attackers in order to attack the wireless networks. However, appropriate implementation of the security countermeasures can help enormously in mitigating the effects of these security attacks. The security issues that are faced by WLANs and the countermeasures that can be deployed against these attacks are discussed in this paper.

Security Issues

Wireless networks are exposed to several security issues, threats and vulnerabilities. If an attacker is within the range of the wireless network and possesses the right tools for capturing and transmitting wireless signals, he can easily launch an attack on the network. It is a critical challenge for information security administrators and network administrators to combat the security challenges faced by WLANs (Abdullah, 2003). The intention of the hacker for targeting wireless networks is to exploit the privacy of users on the wireless network. The attackers make use of hotspots as platforms to remain untraceable and attack nearby targets. The major causes behind such malicious activities are the ease to carry out these attacks and the opportunities that are present in the wireless network for exploiting the vulnerabilities. Security issues in Wireless Local Area Network are aimed at the integrity, availability and confidentiality of network and data. This section deals with the different types of attacks that are faced by WLANs. These security attacks can be divided into active and passive attacks (Sunday, 2008).

Active Attacks

Active attacks are made by attackers in order to get unauthorized access to a network or an asset with the intention of disrupting the functioning of network services or modifying files, data streams, and messages.

Types of Active Attacks

During active attacks, an attempt to change the system and data files is made by ...