Security for WLANs

Security for WLANs

The IEEE has issued a new security standard for incorporation into 802.11a, 802.11b,

and any new 802.11 standards that are approved for use, such as 802.11g.

These enhancements, known as 802.11i, replace wired equivalent privacy (WEP) encryption

with a new, more secure security encryption protocol called temporal key integrity

protocol (TKIP), Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), and 802.1

802.11i was incorporated into the IEEE 802.11-2007 standard. While waiting for this

standard to be completed, the Wi-Fi Alliance created an interim standard called Wi-Fi

protected access (WPA), to allow the introduction of secure wireless products prior to

fi nalization of 802.11i.

Anyone with a compatible wireless device can detect the presence of a WLAN. If

appropriate security mechanisms are put in place, this does not mean that the data can be

accessed, however. The WLAN should be confi gured so that anyone trying to access the

WLAN has at least the same access restrictions as they would if they sat down at a wired

network workstation. All of the following suggestions are practical steps that can be put

in place to improve WLAN security. A combination of methods can be selected to meet

company needsx authentication.