120 likes | 297 Views
Wireless LAN (network) security. Wireless security. - Is the process of preventing unauthorized access or damage to computers (damage data or damage application) using wireless network . - WLAN vulnerabilities: 1- Weak device – only authentication 2- Weak data encryption
E N D
Wireless security • - Is the process of preventing unauthorized access or damage to computers (damage data or damage application) using wireless network . • - WLAN vulnerabilities: • 1- Weak device – only authentication • 2- Weak data encryption • 3- No message integrity • WLAN threats • 1- Unstructured threats : • - It happened by hackers who aren’t technical , they use simple tools to steal the passwords.
WLAN threats 2- Unstructured threats: • It happened by hackers who are more technical • - They can know the network vulnerabilities then they can provide a script or a code or a program to use it in accessing to the network. • 3- External threats: • - It may be happened by a person or organized group from the outside of the network , they aren’t authorized to access to the network. • 4- Internal threats : • - It happened by a person who is has the permission and authorized to access to the network from the internal employees , he can damage the network.
WLAN threats (ways) • Spy • To gather information isn’t allowed to be known • Access • - Unauthorized person access to the network ( doesn’t have any account ), he can access by guessing the password or he know that the password is weak. • DOS (Denial Of Service) • - Disable or corrupts wireless network. • - The more danger and is difficult to prevent.
The development of a good security • 1-Provide a process to audit existing wireless security. • 2- Provide a general frame work for implementing security. • 3- Define behavior that is allowed and that isn’t allowed . • 4- Help determine which tools are needed for the organization. • 5- Help communication among a group of key decision makers and define responsibilities of users and administrators. • 6- Define a process for handling wireless breaches. • 7- Create a basic for legal action.
First generation wireless security • 1- SSID – (Service Set Identifier) : • Basic form of security. • 1- to – 32 character (ASCII code) • - The option : “SSID broadcast “: (enable / disabled) • - SSID (service set identifier) is a function performed by an Access Point that transmits its name so that wireless stations searching for a network connection can 'discover' it. It's what allows your wireless adapter's client manager program or Windows XP's built-in wireless software to give you a list of the Access Points in range.- Having SSID broadcast disabled essentially makes your Access Point invisible unless a wireless client already knows the SSID, or is using tools that monitor or 'sniff' traffic from an AP's associated clients. • - Some vendors refer to the SSID as the "network name."
First generation wireless security 2 – MAC – based authentication Each Access Point (AP) have a list of valid MAC – address ,or it being saved on a centralized server , this can know which devices allowed to access the network and prevent unauthorized devices by the MAC – address .
Authentication Process • On a wired network, authentication is implicitly provided by the physical cable from the PC to the switch. • Authentication is the process to ensure that stations attempting to associate with the network (AP) are allowed to do so. • 802.11 specifies two types of authentication: • 1- Open-system • 2- Shared-key (makes use of WEP)
Authentication Type: Open System Authentication • The following steps occur when two devices use Open System Authentication: • The station sends an authentication request to the access point. • The access point authenticates the station. • The station associates with the access point and joins the network. • The process is illustrated below.
Two methods 802.11 standard defines for clients to connect to an access point • 2- Shared key authentication: • Require the client and the access point to have the same WEP key. (Wired Equivalent Privacy) • Access Point (AP) using shared key authenticated send a challenge text packet to the client . • If client has the wrong key or no key , it will fail (client fail)
Wi- Fi Protected Access (WPA) • Wi- Fi Protected Access (WPA)More stronger than (WEP) • WPA has two modes : • 1- Personal : • For small installation ( single password). • 2- Enterprise : • - For large installation ( username , password). • End- to – End Encryption • Mean that all conversation is encrypted from your PC to the service or the station you talking to.