Wireless Security
Information Security
1
Wireless Security
• Wireless Security
– Wireless Network
– Wireless Attacks: Bluetooth
– IEEE 802.11 Wireless Standard
– Wireless Network Modes
– Wireless Security Overview
– Wireless Networking Components
– Wireless LAN Attacks
– Six Modes of Wireless NICs
– Securing Wireless Networks
Wireless Security
Wireless Networks
• Wireless networks always have been targets for attackers
– Early wireless networking standards had vulnerabilities
– Hackers have found wireless networks relatively easy to break
into, and even use wireless technology to crack into wired
networks.
Wireless Security
Wireless Attacks: Bluetooth
• Bluetooth
– Wireless technology
– Uses short-range radio frequency transmissions
– Provides for rapid, ad-hoc device pairings
• Example: smartphone and Bluetooth headphones
– Personal Area Network (PAN) technology
• Two types of Bluetooth network topologies
– Piconet
– Scatternet
Wireless Security
Bluetooth
Products
Wireless Security
Wireless Attacks: Bluetooth
• Piconet
– Established when two Bluetooth devices come within range of
each other
– One device (master) controls all wireless traffic
– Other device (slave) takes commands
• Active slaves can send transmissions
• Parked slaves are connected but not actively participating
Wireless Security
Wireless Attacks: Bluetooth
• Piconet
Wireless Security
Wireless Attacks: Bluetooth
• Scatternet
– Group of piconets with connections between different piconets
• Bluejacking
– Attack that sends unrequested messages to Bluetooth-enabled
devices
• Text messages, images, or sounds
– Considered more irritating than harmful
• No data is stolen
Wireless Security
Wireless Attacks: Bluetooth
• Scatternet
Wireless Security
Wireless Attacks: Bluetooth
• Bluesnarfing
– Unauthorized access to wireless information through a
Bluetooth connection
– Often between cell phones and laptops
– Attacker copies e-mails, contacts, or other data by connecting
to the Bluetooth device without owner’s knowledge
Wireless Security
IEEE 802.11 Wireless Standard
• IEEE 802: a committee responsible for LANs
• IEEE 802.11: responsible for developing wireless
protocols
– Many standards
• The Wi-Fi alliance: became popular with 802.11b
– Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA, WPA2)
Wireless Security
IEEE 802.11 Wireless Standard
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
– Most influential organization for computer networking and
wireless communications
– Began developing network architecture standards in the
1980s
• 1997: Release of IEEE 802.11
– Standard for wireless local area networks (WLANs)
– Higher speeds added in 1999: IEEE 802.11b
Wireless Security
IEEE 802.11 Wireless Standard
• IEEE 802.11a
– Specifies maximum rated speed of 54Mbps using the 5GHz
spectrum
• IEEE 802.11g
– Preserves stable and widely accepted features of 802.11b
– Increases data transfer rates similar to 802.11a
• IEEE 802.11n
– Approve in 2009
Wireless Security
IEEE 802.11 Wireless Standard
• Improvements in IEEE 802.11n
– Speed
– Coverage area
– Interference
– Security
• Wireless client network interface card adapter
– Performs same functions as wired adapter
– Antenna sends and receives signals
Wireless Security
Wireless Network Modes
• The 802.11 wireless networks operate in two basic
modes:
– Infrastructure mode
– Ad-hoc mode
• Infrastructure mode
– Each wireless client connects directly to a central device
called Access Point (AP)
– No direct connection between wireless clients
– AP acts as a wireless hub that performs the connections
and handles them between wireless clients
Wireless Security
Wireless Network Modes
• Ad-hoc mode
– Each wireless client connects directly with each other
– No central device managing the connections
– Rapid deployment of a network where no infrastructures
exist (advantage in case of disaster…)
– Each node must maintain its proper authentication list
Wireless Security
Wireless Security Overview
• Concerns for wireless security are similar to those found
in a wired environment
• Security requirements are the same:
– Confidentiality, integrity, availability, authenticity, accountability
– Most significant source of risk is the underlying communications medium
Wireless Security
Wireless Security Overview: Key Risks Factors
• Channel: broadcast communication (more sensitive to
eavesdropping and jamming)
• Mobility: Additional risks
• Resources: Advanced OS (iPhone, Android), but limited
resources (memory, processing)
• Accessibility: Certain devices may be left unattended
Wireless Security
Wireless Networking Components (Facilitating points of
attacks)
• Wireless client: WIFI-enabled laptop/tablet, cell phone, Bluetooth
device, …
• Access point: Cell towers, WIFI hotspots, wireless routers
• Transmission medium: carries signals
Wireless Security
Wireless Networking Components
• Access point (AP) major parts
– Antenna and radio transmitter/receiver send and receive
wireless signals
– Bridging software to interface wireless devices to other devices
– Wired network interface allows it to connect by cable to
standard wired networks
Wireless Security
Wireless Networking Components
Wireless Security
Wireless Networking Components
• AP functions
– Acts as “base station” for wireless network
– Acts as a bridge between wireless and wired networks
• Can connect to wired network by a cable
– Instead of running cable between the two buildings, which is
more expensive, two outdoor access points have been
configured for wireless mesh.
Wireless Security
Wireless Networking Components
• Autonomous access points
– All APs were Autonomous mode, which means that each AP
worked as a standalone unit with no knowledge of or
interaction among other APs.
– APs are connected to the same network, and may use the same
SSID, they are all individually configured and separate from one
another.
– Have necessary “intelligence” for wireless authentication,
encryption, and management
Wireless Security
Wireless Networking Components
• Autonomous access points
Wireless Security
Wireless Networking Components
• Lightweight access points
– Rather than using Autonomous mode APs, you can use
Lightweight mode APs if you have a network component that
offers Wireless LAN Controller services.
• Wireless broadband routers
– Single hardware device containing AP, firewall, router, and
DHCP server
Wireless Security
Wireless Networking Components
