Despite its clear benefits and advantages in terms of ease of use and cost effectiveness, there are certain risks associated with wireless networking. These risks are discussed further below.
Review of the Literature.
Security Risks Associated with IEEE WLAN 802.11. The applications for wireless communication technology continue to develop and expand; today, at least, the 802.11b is the standard of choice for wireless router communication used with network installation (Gonazles & Higby 2003). "The integrity of the transmitted data is a valid 2.4 GHz. At this wavelength medium, the propagation of wavelength maintains strong connectivity" (Gonzales & Higby 2003, p. 30). The technology of WLANs actually dates back to the mid-1980s; during this period, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) freed up radio frequency (rf) to the industry. "Initially, this was viewed as a broadcast reception procedure and very little thought went to broadcast transmission" (Gonzales & Higby 2003, p. 30). Early innovations in rf transmission at a local network (today called a WLAN) were fairly slow; however, in the last part of the 1990s, the IEEE introduced a new standard that would fuel growth in rf transmission technologies; the key standard was 802.11 which increased bandwidth enormously (Gonzales & Higby 2003).
According to Gonzales and Higby, IEEE first developed the 802.11 standard in 1997, thereby providing a base for WLANs. It was the goal of the IEEE at this time to design a standard that would support Ethernet networks used for medium-range and higher data rate applications. This concept was immediately adapted to deliver a standard for mobile and portable stations, and continued improvements included designing 802.11a, which provides high-speed connectivity to WLANs that operate on the 5 GHz band and support speeds up to 54 Mbps have taken place; the application of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) has allowed 802.11a to deliver such high speeds (Gonzales & Higby 2003).
In 1999, the IEEE promulgated another standard, known as 802.11b. This newer standard operated in an unlicensed area on the 2.4-2.8 GHz band, transmitted in direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS), and supported up to 11 Mbps. The IEEE 802.11b is the dominant standard for current WLAN systems today because it can deliver sufficient speeds for the majority of applications used today. "Unfortunately, due to 802.11b's popularity, the standard has been unintentionally exposed to many security weaknesses. These issues are now a high-priority and are being addressed by several research-and-development teams" (emphasis added) (Gonzales & Higby 2003, p. 31).
Other IEEE research standards currently under development include 802.1x, 802.11g, and 802.11i. All of these initiatives focus on the identified security issues and faster transmission rates being brought to bear on the technology. The first, 802.1x was a port-level access control protocol that provided a security framework for Ethernet LANs and WLANs under the IEEE standard. The 802.1x standard provided a framework that supported stronger user authentication as well as a centralized security management model that included a client machine, an authenticator, and a Layer 2 device that provides a physical port to the network, an access point, or a switch. "802.1x supports an important part of network access by verifying user credentials and providing key management. Several authentication methods have included a server or database service for user authentication including remote authentication dial-in user service (RADIUS), Microsoft's Active Directory, Windows NT Domains and Trusts, and an LDAP directory" (Gonzales & Higby 2003, p. 31). Standard 802.11i was specifically designed to address the identified security concerns involving WLANs; however, this initiative remains in the early development phase; Gonazeles and Higby report that this standard addresses wired equivalent privacy (WEP) vulnerabilities with improvements to 802.11 equipment.
All of this effort is not being driven in isolation from the marketplace. Consumers and businesses are confronted with a wide range of newer mobile devices such as laptops, cell phones, and personal digital assistants (PDAs) that have been the source for the recent increased demand for wireless mobility. These new devices provide users with the ability to take complete advantage of these innovative technologies and people are exploring even more ways to use these devices. The key advantage of wireless communication involves reduced costs as compared with the expense of wired installations. The recent laptop specifications of RAM, CPU speeds, and hard disk storage have also facilitated wireless communication. Today, a number of computer manufacturers are developing mobile devices that come complete with built-in capabilities of wireless connectivity that support 802.11b and 802.11g. The advantages to users included increased...
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