Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) are becoming more and more common in the world of business, but it seems that some companies may well be jumping ahead on the technology front while neglecting the security implications. While it is great to have a wireless network which is accessible to all authorised users, what about outside access?

There are many types of possible attack, some which are passive and others which have the potential to cause major problems with the security of your network and your information. Some examples of attacks include :-

Passive Attacks

Eavesdropping

The fact that someone may well have hooked up to your WLAN and monitoring what is being passed around the network may seem of no real threat, but that is not always the case. Imagine if your company is in the middle of tendering for a large contract and confidential data is being passed between those in the “inner circle”. A simple eavesdrop procedure could well see the tender system thrown into disarray and business possibly lost.

Traffic Analysis

Traffic analysis is a more sophisticated way of gathering unauthorised access and involves checking the transmission times and contact regularity between certain parties in the network. Using special software they can then monitor the flow of information between certain parties, picking up often vital information along the way.

Active Attack

Impersonating An Authorised User

This is where the potential problems of an open network start to become serious with hackers joining the system and impersonating registered users. The method has been used successfully by many hackers to gain deeper and deeper access to the inner workings of a WLAN.

Message Modification

This is another of the more serious side affects of hackers breaking into a WLAN and can lead to chaos and for some companies the repercussions can be worse. The implications are potentially enormous and it can lead to serious internal and external issues for the company.