Chapter 10. Wireless Security

“Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?”

—Comedian George Carlin

By the end of this chapter, you should know and be able to explain the following:

• The essentials of wireless LANs, including their benefits and risks

• The major threats to a wireless network

• How to secure a wireless network

• The breadth and scope of possible attacks and exploits available to attackers

Answering these key questions will enable you to understand the overall characteristics and importance of network security within the wireless networking space. By the time you finish this book, you will have a solid appreciation for network security, its issues, how it works, and why it is important.

When was the last time you went on vacation to get away from it all? Perhaps to some remote beach or maybe a getaway to the country? Imagine that you walk out the patio door of your hotel room (an ocean view, of course) and admire the beauty of the sun setting on the ocean. The air is cool, so you decide to sit on the porch in your favorite lounge chair; the seagulls are playing, the waves are breaking in a rhythmic beat, and beep-beep-beep—your iPhone begins to go off!