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Wireless Network Security
Wireless Network Security is a serious issue and is not to
be taken lightly. There are countless tools out there to
help hackers compromise your wireless security.
So how do you minimize or possibly eliminate the risk of
hackers accessing your data? Below I'll list key items to
help secure your wireless network; I'll also list a few free
tools that hackers use to grab your information. Wireless
hackers are commonly referred to as `war drivers' and `war
walkers'.
The
first item you'll want to consider when working with
Wireless Network Security is identification. Change your
SSID to something other than the manufacturer's default and
disable broadcasting of your SSID.
Many basic wireless scanners will not detect a hidden SSID.
Check your wireless network hardware manual for more
information on how to do this.
Wireless Network
Wireless network security should also include allowing only
your network cards to communicate with your wireless
network. This is accomplished by enabling MAC address
filtering; each network card has a Media Access Control
address (MAC address) on the back, is 12 characters long,
contains numbers and the letters `A,B,C,D,E or F' of the
alphabet. It will look something like this 0006250E0B81.
Wireless Encryption
Encrypt the data that travels around your wireless network.
WEP (called Wired Equivalent Privacy) is designed to provide
protection by encrypting wireless data as it traverses the
airwaves.
When
using WEP, use a 128-bit key. The programs that can crack
WEP need to collect a large number of encrypted data to
figure out your key.
This means that a hacker would need to sit around for at
least a few hours (usually days) collecting this information
- an unlikely scenario for most hackers. WEP is not
flawless, but it is a big deterrent considering there are
probably other, more inviting, none WEP networks nearby.
Note: Some wireless vendors sell devices that change the
encryption key after a set amount of time. Changing the key
every 20 minutes would make it just about impossible to
break.
Wireless Network Security Tools
There
are a number of wireless network security tools that can be
used to grab the wireless information out of the air, some
are detectable and some are not. On the Linux side, the most
popular is Kismet and Airsnort; Both will display the hidden
SSID's, capture packets and will remain completely invisible
to Intrusion Detections Systems because they operate by
passively monitoring transmissions.
Another product growing in popularity is the wireless
security scanner called WellenReiter at http://www.wellenreiter.net/index.html
Handheld PDA Wireless
On
the Windows side, you have Network Stumbler, and Aerosol.
Wireless Security Handheld tools include Pocket Warrior
(http://pocketwarrior.sourceforge.net/pwdl.html) and Mini
Stumbler (http://www.netstumbler.com
So
what software should you use? If you really want to analyze
your wireless security, I suggest Kismet. Ritchie at
Tipsybottle.com has put together a superb how-to document at
http://www.tipsybottle.com/technology/wireless/RedHat8-Kismet-HOWTO.shtml
that will save you thousands of dollars in consultant fees!
Ritchie's document explains everything, from installing
Linux to installing the software and configuring the
drivers. This is by far the most complete, well written
'wireless' how-to document on the web.
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