Wireless technology is taking its place in today’s society, thus increasing the demand for wireless LAN. Risks once associated with WLAN can be easily mitigated due to the advancement in WLAN security.
With the increase in and popularization of various mobile computing devices such as laptops, and PDAs, more people need to access the network to perform a variety of data transference functions at any time in any place. WLANs offer a new dimension in productivity for users. A Gartner study suggested that enterprises could expect a 22 percent productivity improvement by introducing WLANs.
To evaluate the main implications of using WLAN form the security perspective, we need to look at both the benefits and the potential risks of introducing such technology into the LAN landscape.
WLAN benefits can be expressed as follows:
- Connection is near and instantaneous for mobile workers
- Staff can remain online even when in meetings or working away from desks
- Online information is always available
- Integration of new devices and applications into the IT environment improve significantly
- The cost of provisioning network access to new buildings is substantially lowered
- Network can be easily scaled to respond to different levels of demand
- Increases organizational adaptability to internal growth through improvised seating configuration and lower marginal cost for relocation per user
Potential Risks introduced by WLAN are the following:
4 Rogue access points
4 Traffic analysis and eavesdropping
4 MAC spoofing/session hijacking
4 Denial of Service (DOS)
4 Masquerading
4 Modification of data
4 Increased system complexity from switch locations in various areas due to limited rack space
4 Effectively planning and configuring wireless backbone
4 Greater network management costs associated with wireless specific activities (managing coverage, network activity)
4 Procurement of user’s wireless hardware (wireless card, laptop or other required equipment) incurred in addition to the expense of established hardware refresh cycle
Each organization needs to look at the benefits and the potential risks introduced with using WLAN technology and judge its overall impact on its business goals and strategic objectives. Judging from the latest trend in the corporate world, as the security concerns raised form the use of WLAN are being addressed by technologies such as 802.11i, more and more companies are willing to assume the risks that come with opening up their network to wireless traffic and benefit from the flexibility of WLAN technology.
In the next blog we will look at the major areas that need to be addressed in order to successfully secure a wireless environment.
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