Wireless Security Lunchtime Learning

Thursday 13 July 2006 11:00

Whether your company has grown its WLAN organically (from a pilot project to a loose-knit production network), officially deployed a WLAN or implemented a strict policy against WLANs, Wi-Fi poses risks to your network. Our Wireless Security Lunchtime Learning program allows you to develop an in-depth understanding of those risks and their countermeasures in a format that's convenient for you. Each webcast runs 15-20 minutes, the perfect length to slip into a lunch break. And each webcast is supported by a series of short technical tips that help you apply the principles of the webcast to your own network infrastructure. All of these resources are available on demand, so you can learn on your own schedule. As a bonus, through our agreement with (ISC)², CISSPs and SSCPs who attend all four webcasts can earn one CPE credit, as well as a certificate of completion from SearchSecurity.com. ( Click here for details)

   Course Outline
  Entrance exam
  Lesson 1: How to counter wireless threats and vulnerabilities
  Lesson 2: How to build a secure wireless infrastructure
  Lesson 3: How to implement secure access
  Lesson 4: How to use wireless IDS/IPS
  Final exam
   About the Instructor

(IE only)

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

Send the editor your feedback on this Security School

Learn about earning CPE credits

Visit our Security School for CISSP training

Visit our E-mail Security School

Visit our Web Security School

Visit our SOX Security School

Wireless Security Lunchtime Learning Course Outline

Entrance exam
Assess your knowledge of wireless LAN security with this 10-question multiple choice entrance exam.
TAKE THE EXAM

Lesson 1: How to counter wireless threats and vulnerabilities
Introduction
Learn the business risks posed by wireless LANs, essential countermeasures that can reduce those risks, and industry best practices for designing, deploying and monitoring secure wireless LANs.
READ THE INTRODUCTION
Webcast:Risky business: Understanding Wi-Fi threats
Length: 20 minutes
Listen to this on-demand webcast and learn why most WLANs are inherently vulnerable, right from deployment. You will see how hackers leverage common weaknesses to gather confidential data, prey upon wireless users and penetrate business networks.
VIEW THIS WEBCAST    DOWNLOAD MP3
Tip:Wireless attacks, A to Z
This reference chart categorizes according to vulnerability common and uncommon Wi-Fi attacks, and maps them to associated hacker methods and tools.
READ THIS TIP
Tip:Wi-Fi vulnerability assessment checklist
This checklist provides a framework from which to develop a vulnerability assessment process to help you find and fix your WLAN's weaknesses before attackers take advantage of them.
GET THE CHECKLIST
Tip:Recipe for rogue hunting
This tip describes a methodical process for tracking down rogue 802.11 devices and identifies tools that can make this common task easier.
READ THIS TIP
Quiz
Test your retention of the material taught in Lesson 1 of Wireless Security Lunchtime Learning.
TAKE THE QUIZ

Lesson 2: How to build a secure wireless infrastructure
Webcast:From the ground up: Creating a secure wireless infrastructure
Length: 20 minutes
This webcast explains the myriad Wi-Fi security standards and features in a clear, concise fashion so that you can choose Wi-Fi products that fit within a network architecture that has been designed with security in mind.
VIEW THIS WEBCAST    DOWNLOAD MP3
Tip:Getting from here to there: WPA2 migration strategy
This tip recommends a workable strategy for migration to WPA2, permitting peaceful coexistence between old and new devices with divergent security features.
READ THIS TIP
Tip:Using VLANs to compartmentalize WLAN traffic
Learn how to use VLAN capabilities to tag and compartmentalize Wi-Fi traffic, supporting your company's security and traffic management policies.
READ THIS TIP
Tip:The role of VPN in enterprise wireless
This tip discusses where to make best use of VPNs in a wireless LAN infrastructure and how to smooth over conflicts between WLAN roaming and VPN tunnels.
READ THIS TIP
Tip:The ins and outs of AP placement
This tip offers network topology and physical positioning recommendations for safer AP deployment.
READ THIS TIP
Quiz
Find out how much you learned in Lesson 2.
TAKE THE QUIZ

Lesson 3: How to implement secure access
Webcast:Who goes there?: Securing wireless access
Length: 25 minutes
This webcast describes readily-available WLAN access controls, from MAC ACLs to Preshared Secret Keys to help you choose the best method to control, authenticate and authorize access to your own WLAN.
VIEW THIS WEBCAST    DOWNLOAD MP3
Tip:Controlling WLAN access on a tight budget
Learn the alternatives -- and their pros and cons -- for securing WLAN access with a limited IT staff and budget.
READ THIS TIP
Tip:Choosing the right flavor of 802.1X
This tip provides a direct comparison of the most popular EAP Types used with 802.1X today, the authentication methods supported by each, known vulnerabilities associated with them and suitable usage environments.
READ THIS TIP
Tip:Combining 802.1X and VLANs for WLAN authorization
Learn how to use RADIUS attributes returned by 802.1X to supply VLAN tags, establishing that critical link between authentication and authorization.
READ THIS TIP
Tip:Defeating Evil Twin attacks
This tip describes several steps that your company can take to defend employees against this poorly-understood attack.
READ THIS TIP
Quiz
Put your new knowledge of wireless access to the test.
TAKE THE QUIZ

Lesson 4: How to use wireless IDS/IPS
Webcast:I'll be watching you: Wireless IDS/IPS
Length: 20 minutes
This webcast describes the role of WIDS/WIPS in WLAN security, the features commonly provided by WIDS/WIPS, and how WIDS/WIPS differ from (and complement) their wired network counterparts.
VIEW THIS WEBCAST    DOWNLOAD MP3
Tip:Fighting wireless DoS attacks
Get practical advice on how to recognize and respond to DoS attacks launched against your WLAN.
READ THIS TIP
Tip:To block or not to block: Rogue containment methods
This tip explores how wireless network monitoring system containment features work, their potential side-effects and what network administrators should consider before activating them.
READ THIS TIP
Tip:Overlay vs. embedded WIDS sensors
This tip compares overlay and embedded WIDSes so that you can choose the one that best fits your network and security needs.
READ THIS TIP
Tip:Using your WIDS to monitor WLAN performance
Learn how to leverage your WIDS to get more from your WLAN.
READ THIS TIP
Quiz
Find out how much you learned from Lesson 4.
TAKE THE QUIZ

Final exam
You've finished Wireless Security Lunchtime Learning, now take this 10-question multiple-choice exam to see how much you've retained.
TAKE THE FINAL EXAM

About the Instructor

Lisa Phifer owns Core Competence Inc., a consulting firm specializing in network security and management technology. Lisa has been involved in the design, implementation and evaluation of data communications, internetworking, security and network management products for over 20 years. At Core Competence, she has advised large and small companies regarding security needs, product assessment and the use of emerging technologies and best practices. Before joining Core Competence, Lisa was a Member of Technical Staff at Bell Communications Research where she won a president's award for her work on ATM Network Management.

Lisa teaches about wireless LANs, mobile security and virtual private networking at many industry conferences and on-line webinars. Lisa's WLAN Advisor and Wireless-To-Go columns are published by SearchNetworking.com and SearchMobileComputing.com where she is a site expert on wireless LANs. She also has written extensively about network infrastructure and security technologies for numerous publications including Wi-Fi Planet, ISP-Planet, Business Communications Review, Information Security and SearchSecurity.com.