The Limits on Wireless Security: 802.11 in early 2002

As argued here, wireless networks are inherently less secure than wired networks. However, that does not mean that they are too insecure to be usable. In the wireless world, the range goes from public community networks designed to be accessed by everybody to military networks where lives can be lost if they are compromised. The greater vulnerability of wireless networks does mean that their security problems should be regarded differently, as networks that require measures in addition to those taken for their wired counterparts. Indeed, many observers advise leaving a wireless LAN outside a wired network's firewall or through a VPN, treating wireless users much like remote users who connect through the insecure cloud that is the Internet. Security for wireless networks, like that of wired networks, should be designed in layers. Indeed, many of the solutions that are advisable for wired networks should be applied to wireless networks as well. These include auditing systems, monitoring logs, using tools such as IDSs and sniffers, and enforcing strong passwords. Recommendations about how to increase the security of wireless networks can be found, such as the lists found in Blackwell 2002, Ellison 2001, Mahan 2001, Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance 2001, and WLANA 2001.