A framework for deploying secure wireless networks

Abstract

Wireless networks provide network connectivity 111 a wire free environment. Wireless networks yield freedom from physical constraint and as a result, information being communicated along the networks is free from physical constraints. This can create problems in controlling who is able to receive the data. Wireless networks offer quick and effective extension of wired networks but on the other hand, wireless networks can be a weak entry point to internal corporate networks. Risks associated with wireless networks provide an opportunity that just has to be managed. It is an inspiration for progress and should be a welcome challenge as long as it is given proper consideration. Like personal computers in the 1980s and the Internet in the I990s, WLANS are proving to be the next major evolution of technology for businesses. Just as businesses were forced to adopt and provide necessary security to keep up with the users of proceeding technologies, WLANS introduce new security concerns such as unauthorized access, denial of service, interception of data and interferences by setting up rogue APs. However the benefits far outweigh the risks when appropriate actions are taken to minimize those risks. The researcher carried out a survey in organizations based in Nairobi and confirmed the criticality and sensitivity of the data transmitted over the wireless networks. In the survey, 70% of the organizations had not implemented strong security mechanisms in their wireless networks. The researcher proposed a layered framework that network administrators can use to deploy a secure WLAN to help protect against unauthorized access to their environment, interference and interception of data during transmission.