In today’s world wireless connections are the mainstream way for people to stay connected. Gone are the old dusty wires of yesteryear, say hello to cleaner looking workspaces at home and in the office. Just like the old saying “more money, more problems” I have a phrase I’m going to start coining “more efficiency, more hacking.” The lack of wires with a wireless connection allows us to connect quickly and easily, or some would say efficiently. On the flip side of that the old wires wrapped in various plastics were like a little security blanket surrounding our metal friends of connectivity. Without wires hacking becomes an easier process for those with a little rebel in their souls. What are some of the controls we should put in place to help keep hackers and people with less than good intentions from our systems?
There are a myriad of things you can do depending on how in depth of a solution you want.
For the quick fixer:
- Add a password to protect your wireless network.
- Set-up an authorization list for your wireless network by adding certain devices to said list and allowing only those devices to access you network. This will deny access to anyone not on the VIP list for your network.
For going beneath the surface:
- Start by doing a survey on your network and seeing what areas need a little more security
- Add Wireless Intrusion Detection Systems to your network system help detect attacks on your system.
- You should also consider adding a wired IDS (intrusion detection system) to your system to monitor the traffic that passes into and out of your network.
For the strongest protection:
- Configure all work related devices so that they have no access to public wireless networks. This would mean that all work related devices would only have access to organization authorized networks. This would ultimately keep everything safe from hacking.
The wireless age is nothing to be afraid of. We should embrace the new technology with open arms and a smile on our faces. However, with all things in life we need to take a look at the whole picture and consider not just the positive improvements that come with our new sleek way of living, but also the risks that are associated with upgrading. Wireless connections are great to have, especially if you have a lot of office guests, but just make sure that you are not compromising the security and safety of your organizations information. In short, be smart and be safe.
Sources:
- http://www.sans.org/critical-security-controls/control.php?id=7
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrusion_detection_system
- http://www.networkcomputing.com/data-networking-management/229604006
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