Wireless Security
Wireless Network Security
Jon P. McKinley mckinley_jon@hotmail.com TS3150 Fundamentals of Network Design
Sunday, December 28, 2003 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 3
The Wireless Market 5
Components of a wireless network 6
Wireless Security Mechanisms1 8
Categories of Attack 10
802.11 Attack Risks 12
Wireless risk mitigation 13
Summary 15
References 16
Introduction
Wireless networks have grown in popularity. This is largely due to the increase in the value of a network as more users are attached to it. The value added to a network by nature of connecting more devices to it, is summarized in "Metcalf's law." Metcalf's law states that if you "connect any number, n,' of machines - whether computers, phones or even cars - and you get n' squared potential value."[1] The incredible growth of the Internet seems to validate Metcalf's law. It then seems reasonable that eliminating physical constraints to connecting to a network would provide value by allowing more devices to be connected to a network regardless of physical location. Wireless networks provide that ability.
Wireless networks operate over the full spectrum of network topographies. These topographies include: Personal, Local, Controller, Metropolitan, and Wide area networks. A Personal Area Network (PAN) is " the interconnection of information technology devices within the range of an individual person, typically within a range of 10 meters."[2] A Local Area Network (LAN) is " a group of computers and associated devices that share a common communications line or wireless link and typically share the resources of a single processor or server within a small geographic area (for example, within an office building)."[2] A Campus Area Network (CAN) is a fiber-optic network that physically interconnects entire buildings into one giant network. While each building may have several discrete LANs within it, each building represents a single node on the CAN. [3] A Metropolitan Area Network
Jon P. McKinley mckinley_jon@hotmail.com TS3150 Fundamentals of Network Design
Sunday, December 28, 2003 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 3
The Wireless Market 5
Components of a wireless network 6
Wireless Security Mechanisms1 8
Categories of Attack 10
802.11 Attack Risks 12
Wireless risk mitigation 13
Summary 15
References 16
Introduction
Wireless networks have grown in popularity. This is largely due to the increase in the value of a network as more users are attached to it. The value added to a network by nature of connecting more devices to it, is summarized in "Metcalf's law." Metcalf's law states that if you "connect any number, n,' of machines - whether computers, phones or even cars - and you get n' squared potential value."[1] The incredible growth of the Internet seems to validate Metcalf's law. It then seems reasonable that eliminating physical constraints to connecting to a network would provide value by allowing more devices to be connected to a network regardless of physical location. Wireless networks provide that ability.
Wireless networks operate over the full spectrum of network topographies. These topographies include: Personal, Local, Controller, Metropolitan, and Wide area networks. A Personal Area Network (PAN) is " the interconnection of information technology devices within the range of an individual person, typically within a range of 10 meters."[2] A Local Area Network (LAN) is " a group of computers and associated devices that share a common communications line or wireless link and typically share the resources of a single processor or server within a small geographic area (for example, within an office building)."[2] A Campus Area Network (CAN) is a fiber-optic network that physically interconnects entire buildings into one giant network. While each building may have several discrete LANs within it, each building represents a single node on the CAN. [3] A Metropolitan Area Network
References: [1] http://www.seas.upenn.edu/~gaj1/metgg.html - Metcalf 's Law and Legacy [2] http://www.whatis.com - Whatis?com [3] http://www.lib.siu.edu/faq/network1.faq.html - LAN FAQ1 [4] http://local.cips.ca/queencity/Events/archivedEvents/2000-01/SpringSeminar01/kentonjanzen/sld003.htm - Canadian Information Processing Society [5] http://www.tml.hut.fi/Studies/T-110.557/2002/papers/zahed_iqbal.pdf - Wireless LAN Technology: Current State and Future Trends [6] http://www.athenasemi.com/market/index.html - [Wireless] Market Overview [7] http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/columns/cableguy/cg0302.asp - Microsoft TechNet [8] http://csrc.ncsl.nist.gov/publications/drafts/draft-sp800-48.pdf - Wireless Network Security [9] http://www.whatis.com (war driving) – Whatis?com [10] http://www.netgear.com/pdf_docs/10StepsWirelessSecurity.pdf - Ten Easy Steps for Wireless LAN Security