Close
  • Latest News
  • Cybersecurity
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Mobile
  • Networking
  • Storage
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Menu
Search
  • Latest News
  • Cybersecurity
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Mobile
  • Networking
  • Storage
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Mobile

    Securing LAN And Air

    By
    eWEEK EDITORS
    -
    October 29, 2001
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Well-publicized security breaches in the wireless local area networking standard have plagued the market, but leading vendors insist the problems are surmountable.

      Concern about wireless LAN security swelled when researchers at the University of California at Berkeley published a report detailing weaknesses of the wired equivalent privacy (WEP) algorithm built into the wireless LAN standard. That report was quickly followed by another report, published by researchers at the University of Maryland.

      Just as the response died down, another report emerged, written by a well-known security expert and revealing a far simpler way to break into a wireless LAN network by discovering the encryption key.

      However, product vendors contend that the weaknesses of WEP have long been known, and that they have what they need to patch holes and build secure networks. “It was always believed that WEP was for base-level protection only,” said David Cohen, solutions line business manager of 3Coms wireless connectivity division, and founder and chairman of the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance. Cohen and others said WEP was never designed to be a complete security solution.

      Security issues shouldnt prevent an enterprise from deploying a wireless LAN, he said. “I think it would be a mistake to give up the incredible benefits that wireless LANs offer over undue concerns about security,” Cohen said.

      However, enterprises are now acutely aware of security. “Enterprises have to be able to trust their networks. We need to ensure that trust exists so that enterprises will feel comfortable,” said Dean Douglas, general manager of wireless e-business services at IBM Global Services.

      Vendors have responded aggressively to the concern. Even before a spotlight shone on WEP weaknesses, 3Com was developing more stringent security for its products. Its most recent solution includes the dynamic security link feature, which assigns a unique key to each user on a per-session basis. Without such a solution, all users on a corporate campus, for example, use the same key. As a result, a hacker need only discover that key to access the entire system.

      IBM has an audit service that can help corporations assess their wireless LANs. The company offers both authentication and encryption solutions. In addition, IBM now has integrated a chip into some laptops that supports key encryption and digital signatures for authentication.

      Cisco Systems developed a unique mutual authentication technology when it acquired Aironet, the Cisco division that offers wireless LAN gear. The technology not only authenticates the user, but authenticates the network. This is particularly valuable where wireless LANs overlap.

      It also prevents some foul play. “Enterprises wont deploy wireless unless they are assured that rogue access points cant come into the network,” said Kittur Nagesh, product line manager of Ciscos Aironet wireless LAN solution.

      Avatar
      eWEEK EDITORS

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Android

      Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro: Durability for Tough...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 5, 2020 0
      Have you ever dropped your phone, winced and felt the pain as it hit the sidewalk? Either the screen splintered like a windshield being...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Why Data Security Will Face Even Harsher...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 1, 2020 0
      Who would know more about details of the hacking process than an actual former career hacker? And who wants to understand all they can...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      How Veritas Is Shining a Light Into...

      eWEEK EDITORS - September 25, 2020 0
      Protecting data has always been one of the most important tasks in all of IT, yet as more companies become data companies at the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      How NVIDIA A100 Station Brings Data Center...

      Zeus Kerravala - November 18, 2020 0
      There’s little debate that graphics processor unit manufacturer NVIDIA is the de facto standard when it comes to providing silicon to power machine learning...
      Read more
      Apple

      Why iPhone 12 Pro Makes Sense for...

      Wayne Rash - November 26, 2020 0
      If you’ve been watching the Apple commercials for the past three weeks, you already know what the company thinks will happen if you buy...
      Read more
      eWeek


      Contact Us | About | Sitemap

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      Terms of Service | Privacy Notice | Advertise | California - Do Not Sell My Information

      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×