Best Practices: Wireless LAN Security

Jim Burns, Senior Software Developer & Steve Panish, PhD, Customer Support

Background:
In the resource-constrained IT environment of today, wireless LANs (WLAN) offer attractive benefits, e.g., fast, inexpensive deployment, user mobility, and scalability. Active users can roam about their enterprises unimpeded. This can mean more accurate, and real-time capture of data (e.g., medical rounds and inventory control) and the opportunity for new cost-saving business practices (e.g., the capture of more accurate, complete billing information).

On the negative side, wireless networks are open-air broadcast systems that have the same vulnerabilities as wired networks with unique broadcast-related issues. Industry standards groups, such as IEEE and IETF, are meeting this challenge by providing specifications for sophisticated wireless security frameworks such as WPA and 802.11i/WPA2.

The wireless LANs of most enterprises are adequately secured within a WPA framework. Within the WPA framework exists broad choices of Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) methods, which can be selected to deliver appropriate levels of security; best fit with existing WLAN hardware, and with Information Technology (IT) resources. Those requiring FIPS 140-2 support, such as financial and governmental organizations that require the highest security available, can expect FIPS certified WLAN security products to emerge from a growing pool of those certified for WPA2.

This is only an excerpt from Best Practices: Wireless LAN Security

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