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Wireless connectivity opens
a potential hole in network security...
...if not configured correctly.
Wireless networks are
becoming quite common and very popular. For this reason alone
it is important for anyone with a wireless network
to seriously consider the security of
their network. Wireless
networks will always be attractive to crackers and
those intent on malicious Internet activities so it is a must
to lock down your connection as much as is practically possible.
Network Chico wireless network
(Wi-Fi) security guidelines:
- Use Wireless Encryption Protocol (WEP) or better.
- 128-bit WEP is better than 64-bit
- If possible use a MAC (Media Access Control) address access
list to limit hardware access to your network
- If possible adjust hardware to limit network
range
- Use static IP addresses if possible and avoid DHCP
- Give your wireless network
a unique name, but not one that easily identifies you
- Ensure that the Internet connection on your Wi-Fi network
has a firewall in place
- Use strong passwords to protect access
to your network
- Do not allow unauthorized access points to be installed on
your network
- Do not permit ad-hoc laptop communications
Recently the Federal Bureau of Investigation demonstrated
how insecure the majority of wireless networks really are. It
took the FBI literally three minutes to demonstrate how to break
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
encryption and gain access to a secured network. This announcement
highlights the fact that companies need to be more aware of the
critical role that security plays in wireless networks. Without
a doubt wireless networks are quite the trendy technology these
days but that's not a good enough reason to implement them in
your organization. If you are considering implementing a wireless
network please contact Network Chico for a consultation.
Now available: Download the NIST (National Institute of Standards and
Technology) Wireless Network
Security special publication 800-48 (1027 KB PDF). This document
discusses security as it relates to 802.11
wireless networks as well as Bluetooth and handheld devices.
Be sure to check out the Network
Chico Security
resources for links to many good sources of security
information. There is even a Wi-Fi Alliance web site you can visit for
additional news and information about Wi-Fi.
 
Additional security pages:
| Anti-virus | Browser
cookies | Email | Firewall
| IPS | Network
| Passwords | Registry
| Server | Spyware
| Terms | Wireless
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View current Windows security threats from:
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