Cisco Wireless LAN Security

Front Cover
Cisco Press, 2005 - Computers - 419 pages

Expert guidance for securing your 802.11 networks

  • Learn best practices for securely managing, operating, and scaling WLANs
  • Comprehend the security-related technological underpinnings of WLANs
  • Explore new security protocols in 802.11i and WPA and learn how they prevent attacks
  • Review centralized deployment models for wired/wireless integration
  • Deepen your knowledge of defense by understanding the tools that attackers use to perform reconnaissance and to attack authentication and encryption mechanisms
  • Understand how to design secure WLANs to support enterprise applications with the new standards and practices detailed in this book
  • Reference the next generation authentication standards and protocols
  • Find out about mobility, hotspots, and campus wireless networks
  • Grasp Open Authentication, MAC-based authentication, shared key authentication, EAP authentication protocols, WEP, WPA, and 802.11i

Cisco Wireless LAN Security is an in-depth guide to wireless LAN technology and security, introducing the key aspects of 802.11 security by illustrating major wireless LAN (WLAN) standards that can protect the entire network. Because a WLAN is less effective as an isolated piece of the network, this book emphasizes how to effectively integrate WLAN devices into the wired network while maintaining maximum security.

Cisco Wireless LAN Security covers the spectrum of WLAN security, including protocols and specifications, vulnerabilities and threats, and, especially, deployment patterns and design guidelines. With a unique combination of theory and practice, this book addresses fundamental wireless concepts, such as WEP, and innovations, such as EAP, switching, and management. Each chapter includes detailed illustrations, checklists, design templates, and other resources. You will also find generic wireless deployment patterns based on real-world customer installations and functional examples of architecture, design, and best practices.

Whether you currently design, configure, implement, and maintain WLANs or simply want to explore wireless security issues, Cisco Wireless LAN Security has everything you need to understand how to create a seamlessly secure, impenetrable 802.11 network.

This book is part of the Networking Technology Series from Cisco Press which offers networking professionals valuable information for constructing efficient networks, understanding new technologies, and building successful careers.

 

Contents

Securing WLANS Overview
3
Basic Security Mechanics and Mechanisms
13
Authentication and Identity Protocols
34
WLAN Standards
59
Brief Discussion on Relevant Standards
69
WLAN Fundamentals
81
WLAN State Diagram
91
Summary
109
Security Problems Addressed
227
EndtoEnd Security Deployment
233
Design Guidelines for Secure WLAN
255
New WLAN Deployments
261
Integration with Existing WLAN Deployments
275
SWAN Central Switch Design Considerations
281
Operational and Design Considerations for Secure WLANS
287
Enterprise Guest Access
300

WLAN Basic Authentication and Privacy Methods
111
MACBased Authentication
115
WEP Privacy Mechanics
119
Wireless Vulnerabilities
125
DoS Attacks
138
Attacks on EAP Protocols
150
EAP Authentication Protocols for WLANS
157
EAP
163
Introduction and General Principles
183
Summary
192
WLAN Encryption and Data Integrity Protocols
195
Key Management
217
Summary
305
WLAN Security Configuration Guidelines and Examples
307
Configuration Guidelines and Examples
311
Configuration Guidelines and Examples
336
Securing BridgetoBridge Links
344
Summary
353
WLAN Deployment Examples
355
Small and Medium Businesses and SOHO WLAN Deployments
389
Summary
395
Appendix A Resources and References
399
Index
405
Copyright

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About the author (2005)

Krishna Sankar is a distinguished engineer at Cisco Systems, Inc. For the past 20 years, he has held positions in software architecture and development and industrial engineering. Krishna is an author, speaker, and technology evangelist. Sri Sundaralingam is a technical marketing manager in the Wireless Networking Business Unit at Cisco Systems. Sri has extensive customer contact and is responsible for developing and marketing enterprise and carrier networking solutions using the Cisco Aironet Series of wireless LAN products. Andrew Balinsky is a network security test engineer at Cisco Systems. His introduction to computer security was through the Air Force Information Warfare Center, where he did everything from tracking hackers to developing security software. Darrin Miller currently works as a security researcher at Cisco Systems. He has been in the networking industry for more than 15 years and has authored several white papers on network security.