Wireless Networks and Security

Wireless local area networks (WLANs) use radio waves to transmit and receive data rather than wires. WLANs are subject to illegal interception, eavesdropping, hacking, and a variety of other cyber security threats because to the lack of a physical barrier.

Threats to Wireless Network Security

The three most frequent WLAN security threats are as follows:

• Denial of service attacks- in which the attacker floods the network with messages, affecting network resource availability
• Spoofing and session hijacking- in which the attacker gains access to network data and resources by impersonating a legitimate user.
• Eavesdropping- which occurs when unauthorized third parties intercept data being transmitted over a secure network.

To combat these dangers, you should make every effort to correctly configure your WLAN. Along with other access control measures, you should activate a variety of security features, such as conventional authentication and encryption.

Basic WLAN Security Features

Early WLAN hardware included a variety of fundamental security measures, including:

• Service Set Identifiers (SSIDs) - These block devices from connecting to access points unless they appropriately use a specific identifier.
• Media Access Control (MAC) - this entails using addresses assigned to each device to limit access to access points.
• Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) - WEP employs encryption keys to ensure that only devices that have the correct key can communicate with access points.

WEP is still used in many devices since consumers encountered compatibility issues when adding new equipment. WEP, on the other hand, has been shown to be useless against hac Even with all of these security precautions in place, basic WLAN characteristics cannot guarantee the security of your network. Furthermore, security features on WLAN devices are frequently disabled. If you do not enable these, you will have no security at all.

Improve the Security Protocols for Your WLAN

If you use a WLAN that just relies on these basic security elements, it is critical that they are correctly configured and operational. Upgrade to more recent security protocols, such as Wi-Fi protected access (WPA) and WPA2.kers. You should think about upgrading any gadgets that use this technology.

What Exactly is Wi-Fi Protected Access?

Wi-Fi protected access employs encryption mechanisms that are more robust and well-designed than WEP. Look for 'Wi-Fi WPA' in the specs of items that use Wi-Fi secured access. WPA-compliant products will work together, which is a vital necessity.

Wi-Fi Protected access can be used in two ways:

• Personal mode - for authentication, a pre-shared password or passphrase is used. This straightforward method ensures that a computer can only connect to the WLAN if its password matches the password of the access point.
• Enterprise mode - employs a more advanced encryption mechanism that is better suited to larger organisations that require greater security.

WPA3 is the most recent iteration of WPA security. It maintains interoperability with WPA2 devices while providing enhanced password security, personalized encryption for personal and open networks, and even more secure encryption for enterprise networks.

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