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Securing your WLAN
Today, wireless local area networks (WLANs) are widely deployed everywhere from conference rooms to coffeehouses. If your business is using a WLAN and hasn’t yet secured it properly, now is the time to do so.
It might be tempting to consider WLAN security an expense that doesn’t contribute to the bottom line. However, even if it doesn’t hit the billion-dollar mark, the cost of a security breach is likely to be significant. These costs can include:
- Identifying and correcting security problems
- Lost productivity due to missing data, infected systems or employees caught up in fixing security problems
- Legal fees, notification costs, regulatory fines, civil penalties, restitution to impacted parties and paying for credit reports to at-risk customers
Only authorized devices allowed
One of the concerns with WLAN technology is that it is so easy to deploy. It’s easy to buy a WLAN device and install it to provide Wi-Fi capabilities within an office. But, you want to be sure that only authenticated, authorized devices are taking part in the WLAN.
One way to ensure only authorized devices can access certain elements on your network is to segment your critical data from where people access it. You can do this by having remote users utilize a virtual private network (VPN) for safe network access and communication.
A VPN encrypts data at the sending end and decrypts it at the receiving end. It sends the data through a tunnel that cannot be "entered" by content that is not properly encrypted.
Use security tools
Unlike wired LAN traffic, WLAN traffic can be eavesdropped on without detection. According to published reports, a leading apparel retailer was violated by "wardrivers." Wardriving is the act of searching for open Wi-Fi networks by someone in a moving vehicle. Wireless access points must be protected against "warwalkers" and wardrivers.
Data encryption plays an essential role in WLAN protection. Encryption makes security attributes part of the data itself. It protects data while "in motion" and "at rest."
Securing a WLAN against eavesdropping or intrusion isn’t that difficult. You just need to be aware of the security tools and implement them. And know that threats keep changing and multiplying. So, you have to be prepared to deal with new security challenges every day.
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Create a security policy that defines what sensitive data is, what data should be protected, who has access and what to do if you have a breach.
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Make sure any sensitive data is encrypted anywhere it resides, whether on a server or a mobile device.
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Demand that the user prove — authenticate — who they are to the device, the network and the server that holds the data.
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Require authorization with Active Directory, Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS) or other directory services to control what functions can be executed by an authenticated user.
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Turn on wireless security and implement the upper layers of security, like 802.1x and a VPN.
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Use firewalls, virus checking and other standard security products.
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