Solutions Fast Track | Special Edition Using Macromedia Studio 8

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WPA was developed to replace WEP because of the known insecurities associated with WEP’s implementation of the RC4 encryption standard.
Many of the newer access points support WPA, some require firmware upgrades in order to enable WPA functionality.
Windows XP is WPA-ready with a patch; however, you must ensure that you have WPA drivers for your wireless card.

Wireless gateways are implemented to control access to the network by authenticating users against an internal or external database.
Wireless gateways can also perform other tasks, including enforcing security by group, implementing quality of service bandwidth controls, and many other advanced security functions such as VPN tunnels and mobile IP roaming between APs.
Dolphin is a freeware wireless gateway that provides authentication of users against a local database and optional support for IPSec VPN tunnels for data protection. In a small, noncommercial environment, Dolphin can be quickly and economically put into use to increase network security by controlling wireless network access.

The Linksys WRV54G is a broadband router with a built-in access point and VPN.
The WRV54G was specifically designed for Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) users that require more than the basic security protection for their wired and wireless networks.
To utilize the VPN features on the WRV54G an IPSec tunnel must be established between the WRV54G and any clients that access it.

LEAP addresses all the problems inherent in the use of WEP in a wireless network. The largest vulnerabilities come from static WEP keys and the predictability of IVs.
LEAP creates a per-user, per-session dynamic WEP key that is tied to the network logon, thereby addressing the limitations of static WEP keys. Since authentication is performed against a back-end RADIUS database, administrative overhead is minimal after initial installation and configuration.
Policies can be set to force users to re-authenticate more often to the RADIUS server and thus receive fresh session keys. This can further reduce the window for network attacks because the WEP keys are rotated even more frequently.
The IV is changed on a per-packet basis, so hackers cannot find a predetermined, predictable sequence to exploit. The capability to change the IV with every packet, combined with the dynamic keying and re-authentication, greatly increases security and makes it that much more difficult for an attacker to gain access to your wireless network.

RADIUS provides for centralized authentication and accounting.
802.1X provides for a method of port-based authentication to LAN ports in a switched network environment.
For 802.1X authentication to work on a wireless network, the AP must be able to securely identify traffic from a particular wireless client. This identification is accomplished using authentication keys that are sent to the AP and the wireless client from the RADIUS server.

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