Wireless Intrusion Prevention:
More and more companies are realizing that their corporate air waves are an asset that requires protection. Strong security policies have been created for wired networks - protection systems such as firewalls, IDS, anti-virus and anti-spam systems are put in place and policies are monitored for compliance. The same is now needed for the corporate air waves.
The proliferation of Wi-Fi makes it nearly impossible for today's enterprise to remain unaffected by this technology. Wireless LAN capability shipped in over 90% of laptops1 in 2005. Due to the prevalence of wireless LAN infrastructure in neighboring buildings, cafes and retail stores, it is now common to be within range of half a dozen or more Wi-Fi networks at the same time. Even if corporate Wireless Intrusion Prevention policy dictates no Wi-Fi networks and users both need to be protected from a wide variety of wireless threats (rogue Access Points, unintentional client associations, ad-hoc networks, etc.).
A strong Wireless Intrusion Prevention security policy was created to protect the corporation's assets from abuse over the wireline network. The new reality of wireless technology means that maintaining that same level of protection now requires considering threats via the corporate airwaves. To protect your corporate air waves, you need to:
- define a wireless policy
- enforce that policy, and
- audit and demonstrate compliance to the policy
The Business Justification for Wireless Intrusion Prevention
Corporations have good business and legal reasons for setting up Wireless Intrusion Prevention security policies and stringent compliance plans. Strong security policies need to be developed, implemented and monitored for abuse. A corporation that fails to monitor for policy abuse is missing an important component of security. Thus, wireless perimeter intrusion detection software must be installed on a network, because it monitors for abuse of Wireless Intrusion Prevention security. Delaying an investment in wireless perimeter intrusion detection software leaves a company open to litigation, fines, prolonged audit requirements as well as loss of business, good will and corporate image.
The risks to the corporation for not enforcing a wireless perimeter security policy include:
- loss of trade secrets and company confidential material
- unauthorized Internet access to pornography and gambling sites
- network outages due to Denial of Service attacks
- loss of customer or employee data leading to?
- legal and financial penalties
- damage to brand and PR issues
- connection hijacking and introduction of viruses or other malicious traffic
Corporations spend a significant portion of each year's budget on Wireless Intrusion Prevention to protect their wired networks. The same threats can be launched via the wireless medium. Best practices dictate a multi-layered approach, using best-of-breed technology to protect against threats launched from within as well as outside the physical perimeter.
The Business Justification for Wireless Intrusion Prevention:
Similar to wire line protection, a layered approach using wireless perimeter intrusion detection is required to monitor, detect, prevent, and report wireless vulnerabilities. Protection and auditing of the corporate air waves is then a simple matter of extending the risk management already in place for the wireline network and ensuring that investment is not diluted by low-cost and unauthorized Wi-Fi devices. Lacking such protection, organizations risk poor public relations, negative customer perception and lower stock valuation.
