Understanding Wireless Security

There is no denying how beneficial wireless technologies have become. We rely on them on a daily basis to keep us connected to the Canadian business market throughout mobile phones, laptops, and tablets.

Wireless technology has become an ingrained part of how professionals conduct business, regardless of their trade. Wireless technologies have opened the door to new possibilities.

It has enabled professionals to not only be more efficient and productive; it has also enhanced our ability to effectively communicate no matter where we are in the world. Therefore, we can send and receive information and have conversations with business partners and clients on many different platforms and devices at all times.

However, the convenience created by wireless technologies does have one major fall back, wireless connections are more prone to security issues such as tapping into conversations, interrupting transmissions, and compromising confidential information.

As more and more companies opt for wireless communications, the need and importance of wireless security has continued to grow over the past decade. Therefore, many IT departments are changing their security capabilities to accommodate both wireless and wired security.

In the same sense as more traditional forms of computer technologies, wireless security is primarily concerned with protecting an organizations computer network from unauthorized users who access the system to damage or extract confidential information. These threats can come in the form of computer viruses, malware, or from people attempting to hack into the system.

In recent years, a very public security breach, the hack of the PlayStation 3 network, has gained notoriety in the media as thousands of users had their personal account information exposed. Unsuspecting people had their credit card, contact information, and password information compromised seemingly overnight. You never know when a security breach may occur.

There are many different ways that an organizations wireless network can be compromised. It can be attacked by a number of methods. Here are some of the most common:

 

• Identity theft: This occurs when an outside source listens in to a conversation over a wireless network and gain access to information that allows them to access network information. To combat this, most systems have a filtering system that only allows authorized computers to gain access.

 

 

• Denial of service: This occurs when an unauthorized user purposely get legitimate users locked out of their computer system by entering numerous incorrect login attempts to lock the system, possibly causing a system crash.

 

 

• Malicious association: This occurs when unauthorized users utilize wireless networks to connect to an organizations computer network. To gain access they develop software that enables their wireless card to look like a real access point for the company network.

 

 

• Bluetooth: Using Bluetooth is a security threat. Users are more prone to attacked when they use Bluetooth enabled devices.

 

 

• Peer to peer networks: These networks pose a great threat because there is no access point between the devices being used. For protection, users can encrypt data they send over these networks.

 

With so many people using wireless technologies, there are countless ways for your personal and business networks to be hacked. However, there are a number of preventative steps that companies and professionals can take to reduce their risk of their connection being compromised:

1. Secure your wireless router with a unique password
2. Use Wi-Fi protection access (WPA) encryption rather than wired equivalency privacy (WEP). It is much more secure.
3. Turn off your SSID broadcast so other people will not be able to see it
4. If you have no other alternative, use WEP. It is better than no encryption at all.

Using these tips will help to ensure that you have a secure wireless network that you can confidently use for both personal and business use.