Wireless LAN Security
Wireless LAN Security
Wireless LAN Security
Secure Solutions
1. INTRODUCTION
People today work as nomads and want to be always online, always connected. Technology that is in line with this desire also coincides with company needs. The purpose of this White Paper is to focus on one such technology, the wireless local area network (WLAN), and its security strengths and weaknesses. There are similarities between the explosive growth of the Internet and the rapid growth of WLAN. Like any new technology, WLAN has led to new needs and behaviours. Today WLAN is a de facto solution adopted by users around the world. However, just as security was not a top priority in the first decade of Internet use, so WLAN security has not been of utmost concern. Yet, as recent papers by security scientists make clear, some security criteria must be taken into account in order to prevent unauthorised exploitation of resources. WLAN allows a user with a laptop and a wireless card to access a network via radio communications media. Security is a concern in two main areas. First, the user needs to be sure he is connected to the appropriate network rather than a fake one, and he wants to assure the confidentiality of the data he transmits. Second, network administrators need to configure the WLAN for which they are responsible in a way that is meant to ensure that only authorised clients have access. However, such native security (included in WLAN technology) is not, in fact, secure enough. Thus the rise in popularity of WLAN has been accompanied by an equivalent increase in security concerns about the new technology. This paper first explains how it is possible for unauthorised users to breach security measures and gain access to a company network; it then recommends security techniques that may be added to the basic ones, and notes that an alternative is to wait for new standards to be approved and followed by vendors.
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It must be pointed out that, unfortunately, when it comes to security concerns, there is no absolute defence and the stronger the defence, the stronger the attacks will tend to be. Note: WLAN is based in a very fast growing technology. This White Paper is published in the second quarter of 2003, and may be outdated by the third quarter of 2003.
2. 802.11 WIRELESS LAN TECHNOLOGY TODAY 2.1. NEW NEEDS AND NEW THREATS
A number of standards exist in the marketplace today, and others are in development. This situation generates confusion inasmuch as vendors make technology choices that are not well understood by clients. As the process of developing standards is not yet complete, and gaps still exist in terms of security measures, vendors interpret the standards and complement them with their own technology. Vendors are thus committed to supporting a wide range of standards. Within this jungle of standards and vendor solutions, it is hard for customers to select one product or another with a genuine understanding of the implications of their choice. A WLAN is an extension of a wired network or standard LAN. A basic hardware installation involves connecting access points to the wired network and equipping personal computers and laptops with WLAN cards. Because of the explosive growth of the Internet, along with the security risks involved when a corporate network is connected to the Internet, network administrators have installed firewalls to protect local networks and act as security gates. In radio communications, however, frontiers are not easy to define and to protect, as they are virtual.
Solutions that can minimise risks of intrusion on a WLAN are not bullet-proof, as we will see. Among the many reasons for a company to choose a WLAN solution are that it does not require a cable plant, it enhances mobility and it facilitates ad-hoc relationships. Within a companys offices, people move from their desks to meeting areas, conference rooms, etc. Staying connected to voice mail, mailbox or intranet while moving around the company buildings is next to impossible with a system where staff members would always have to keep a LAN wire with them and expect a plug to be active near the place they are going to (sometimes it is necessary to ask the network administrator to activate a wall plug). Also, in old buildings or rented ones, considerable investment and time are required to cable the premises for a network. Compared to LAN, a WLAN can be installed quickly, and furthermore it is easily removed, so the investment stays in the hands of the company. A WLAN installation can be accomplished in days rather than weeks. Once the wireless access points are attached to wired high-speed networks, nomad users can connect to the corporate network, at broadband speeds, from a conference room, the cafeteria, or even a bench outside the building. For training courses or business meetings, ad-hoc wireless connections can be made, and removed afterwards. As far as security is concerned, WLAN standards will define some specific solutions (with robust security), but they are not yet on the market. Consequently major security problems have arisen in early WLAN installations. Vendor marketing leads many organisations to believe that the security provided by wireless access points can cope with the risks and prevent unauthorised access and use. Some companies installing WLAN do not apply the basic security features, and thus are vulnerable to unauthorised use of their internal system. As security test labs discover various types of vulnerability, they publish the information, so companies can become aware of the threats and risks they are exposed to. The basic areas of vulnerability are data encryption via a wired equivalent privacy (WEP) protocol; limitations and weaknesses in controlling access; and the broadcast nature of radio transmission. WLAN is just a new way of communicating with corporate networks. The security best practices learnt in the past should still be applied and a new security requirement should be added, given the absence of physical perimeter in radio broadcasting. Security officers must constantly be alert for intruders attempting to access the corporate network and applications. Any breach of the network weakens security and
thus overall network performance. The possible consequences include lower productivity, loss of confidential data and damage to company reputation.
2.412 2.417 2.422 2.427 2.432 2.437 2.442 2.447 2.452 2.457 2.462 2.467 2.472 2.484 uses channels 1 to 11 and Europe
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IEEE 802.11b employs DSSS to achieve 11Mbps. As the channel bandwidth for a DSSS signal is about 20MHz, the 2.4GHz band accepts up to three non-overlapping channels: 1, 6 and 11. Three access points can thus cover the same geographical zone, offering up to 33Mbps.
Depending on the country, different spectrums are allowed at 2.4GHz, so not all the channels are possible. The same kind of problems exist with the 5GHz band but the use of this band is not allowed in all countries. The radio frequencies used are 2.4 GHz for 802.11b and 802.11g, and 5 GHz for 802.11a. 802.11a supports 6, 12 and 24Mbps using OFDM modulation (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) 802.11b supports 1, 2, 5.5 and 11Mbps using CCK (complementary code keying) 802.11g, still in the draft stage, will extend 802.11b to speeds up to 54Mbps; it will be backward compatible with 802.11b but will use OFDM Because of the higher modulation frequency used, 802.11a signals die out much faster than 802.11b. As a result, a wireless network interface card will capture a lower frequency wireless signal at a longer ranges than a higher frequency signal.
Figure 2.1: Wireless LAN connected to a wired ethernet LAN and roaming During this process the client will go through three different states: Unassociated and unauthenticated Unassociated and authenticated Associated and authenticated If either the association or the authentication is not performed successfully, the user cannot access the WLAN and consequently the LAN. A basic service set (BSS) is made of wireless stations that can communicate among themselves. Depending on the objectives to be served, a 802.11 wireless network can be configured in either of two modes. The IEEE standard defines the ad-hoc mode as independent basic service set (IBSS) and the infrastructure mode as BSS with APs.
Figure 2.4 shows the main management and control frame types and layout.
2.7.1. SSID
The SSID is the first barrier against intrusion. Multiple SSIDs allow network administrators to define multiple BSS in the same geographic area. Each BSS has a unique SSID, which is stored in the APs. To connect to a BSS, the client must know its SSID (Figure 2.3). Note that some APs can disable the beacon default broadcast functionality (a beacon frame contains the SSID).
Figure 2.3: Infrastructure network To communicate with the AP, the client needs to be authenticated and associated. This is accomplished by an exchange of messages called management frames, in the following process: The AP transmits a beacon management frame at fixed intervals. The frame is received by all clients within range of the AP radio broadcast. A beacon management frame contains a network name, or service set identifier (SSID). Depending on the SSID, a client can choose which BSS to connect to (BSS1 or BSS2 in Figure 2.3). If no beacon frame is broadcast, the client can send a probe request management frame to find the BSS it wants to connect to, and the AP responds with a beacon frame. After the client has selected the AP, both parties perform a mutual authentication using management frames. If it succeeds, the client then needs to be associated, by sending an association management frame. After the client is associated and authenticated, it needs an IP address to communicate with other clients. Many APs send their clients an IP address automatically (they act as a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server). Otherwise the network administrator needs to assign the client a valid IP address, which must be configured manually. After this, the client becomes a peer on the wireless network and can communicate with the LAN.
2.7.3. WEP
The WEP protocol, which is specified for encryption and authentication between clients and APs, is mainly used to increase the confidentiality of data during transmission between a client and an AP. There are two levels of WEP authentication: the open system and the shared or secret key. The default authentication protocol (the open system subtype) used in 802.11 is based on a null authentication process (i.e. it authenticates anyone who requests authentication). This allows any user to access the WLAN. An alternative authentication protocol (the shared key subtype) uses a shared key authentication process, which is based on a standard challenge-response along with a shared key. The shared key (also called secret key) is distributed by an external key management service. In the authentication request management frame, the client indicates to the AP that it uses shared key authentication. The AP responds by sending the client a nonce (a challenge text). The client copies the nonce into a new management frame and encrypts it with WEP, using the shared key. The AP then decrypts the frame and verifies that the challenge
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The main management frames types are: beacon frames: the AP broadcasts the frame regularly and frequently, announcing availability and capabilities of BSS probe request and response: the client sends a request for a WLAN, and the response is a beacon frame associate request and response: the client requests to be declared in the BSS disassociate (either the client or the AP) The main control frame types are RTS (request to send), CTS (clear to send) and ACK (acknowledge). Figure 2.4: 802.11 frame layout
text matches, in which case the authentication is successful (Figure 2.5). WEP is a symmetric algorithm (i.e. the same key is used for encryption and decryption). The standard only defines a 64-bit key (including initial vector or IV) but almost all vendors offer up to 128 bits (including IV).
bits (defined by 802.11b) or 128 bits (defined by vendors). This key must be shared by the client and the AP.
Figure 2.6: WEP encryption mechanism In WEP encryption, the shared key (40 or 104 bits long) is added to an IV (which changes periodically and is 24 bits long). The RC4 PRNG generates a pseudo-random key for the stream. To prevent data modification, an integrity check algorithm called CRC-32 operates on the plain text and produces an integrity check value (ICV). The cipher text is obtained by an XOR operation, which is a mathematical operation between the key stream and the concatenation of the plain text and the ICV. The 802.11 data frame is the concatenation of the IV and the cyphered text. The receiver follows the same algorithm in reverse to retrieve the original plain text.
Figure 2.5: Shared key authentication process Authentication may be used between two clients in an IBSS. In a shared key system, only clients configured with a secret key can be authenticated by the APs. WEP provides an encrypted channel for communications between the AP and the client. The encryption algorithm used is Rons Code 4 Pseudo Random Number Generator (RC4 PRNG), from RSA Data Security, Inc. The algorithm is based on a key (a sequence number) of 64
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WLAN bad practices keeping the default AP configuration enabling broadcast of SSID keeping the vendor SSID disabling WEP using null authentication broadcasting to a public area using only APs to connect the WLAN to the intranet
Another potential problem is that, while employees may enjoy working on their laptops outside the building, this practice can permit unauthorised people to access the network from the streets nearby. In addition, natural repeaters (e.g. nearby antennas or windows containing iron) can extend the radio signal beyond the desired geographic area. Furthermore, unlike in a LAN, where the physical layer and the communication layer of a network are typically protected by a cable (for example a category 6 shielded twisted pair, Cat 6 STP), in a WLAN the latter layer is exposed.
Wireless MAC addresses can be changed at will and duplicated by any client. Wireless cards permit the changing of the WMAC address via easily available software. Moreover, WMAC addresses are easily sniffed out because they appear in clear in all 802.11 frames, even when WEP is enabled. As a result, a would-be intruder can easily determine the WMAC addresses used in the WLAN by eavesdropping, then change its internal WNIC MAC address to a valid address that is not filtered by the AP. WMAC address filtering requires the company to obtain
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the hardware addresses of all clients and to maintain this list on all its APs. But in wide distribution of wireless laptops, it is difficult for a company to enter all clients MAC addresses in all APs. Consequently this feature is limited to small WLANs.
As a consequence there is a high chance that an IV, and therefore the key stream, can be reused. This situation can lead to basic cryptanalytic attacks against the cipher and the decryption of data. In such cases, anyone with a wireless laptop could gain access to a WLAN within few hours or even at times within a few minutes. The theoretical calculation is this: a wireless client that sends 1500 bytes at 11Mbps (the effective data rate is 6Mbps) will use all the IV keys in (224*1500*8)/(6*106)= 35554 seconds, or about 9 hours. The time will be less if the packets are shorter than 1500 bytes. With the anniversary birthday assumption, there is a 50% chance of the key being reused after 4823 packets, 99% after 12430 packets (10 and 25 seconds, respectively, at 11Mbps). In practice, a key is usually reused in less than an hour (clients are not always sending data so the malicious user has to wait longer). Another possibility is that an eavesdropper captures two cyphered 802.11 data frames encrypted with the same key stream, from which it is possible to obtain the XOR of the two plain texts. The calculation is: C1 = P1 XOR RC4 (shared key, IV) C2 = P2 XOR RC4 (shared key, IV) C1 XOR C2 = P1 XOR P2 If the first plain text, P1, is known or predictable, P2 is too. When an intruder knows the data before it is sent (P), and captures the encrypted data (C), it is easy to XOR the two data sets to produce the key stream: RC4 (shared key, IV) = P XOR C Other WEP vulnerabilities: Sometimes WEP keys are stored in clear in the AP, the NIC RAM, the Windows registry or a file. WEP keys must be manually entered for all clients a difficult management task. The tendency, especially on larger networks, is to change keys as seldom as possible and avoid processing other key operations, such as revocation, distribution and rotation. Best practice, however, is to change keys regularly as an extra measure of security. WEP lacks support for per-packet integrity protection. Because WEP has so many imperfections, many companies do not even turn it on! A shared secret key can be recovered with easily available utilities, thus exposing the network to unauthorised use. Though the current version of WEP is crackable, WEP should be used: it will thwart would-be hackers (passersby, script kiddies) to the point where they will look for easier targets.
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new member. It is not possible for security officers to ensure that only authorised users are connected to an adhoc network. Any authorised user can transfer private corporate documents to unauthorised users without going through the corporate network. In addition, the authentication method used is based on weak security.
3.10. AP WEAKNESSES
AP equipment is shipped with encryption disabled. Many characteristics of APs need to be taken into account, including: the way the IP stack is implemented (implicated in denial of service) the different sizes of state tables (in cases of flooding) various sanity checks on frames/packets (fringe frames/ packets) the protocols supported (e.g. SNMP, telnet, HTTP, ICMP) undocumented back doors left for maintenance or management natural implementation vulnerabilities
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applications have been developed for them. Someone looking to break into a network can do surveillance and sometimes more with these tiny but powerful computers, which are easy to hide.
tioning system (GPS). War footing is the same method used while walking through streets. The hacker needs to be equipped with a wireless-enabled laptop or notebook. A variation is the parking lot attack, where the hacker sits in an organisations parking lot and accesses hosts in the internal network. War chalking is a related technique not an active attack but rather the marking of a special symbol on a sidewalk, building, etc., indicating the proximity of a WLAN.
4.3. AP COUNTERFEITING
When a wireless client moves from one location to another, the WNIC keeps the connection with the AP that sends the highest signal. In some situations a counterfeit AP can attract a wireless client and download some of its wireless configuration. With open source software commonly available from the Internet, a hacker can transform a laptop into a fake AP, known as a soft AP. The laptop can then impersonate an authorised AP. Clients who mistake the soft AP for an authorised one may try to connect to it; and, as the fake AP is technically sophisticated, the client can be taken over.
source. The victims 802.11 card will then scan channels to search for new APs, and will associate with the AP simulated by the attack machine as a soft AP. Next the attackers machine associates with the real AP, and can now act as an invisible bridge.
insufficient. All types of attack are then possible: DoS against the IP stack or clients, reconfiguration (including adding or deleting AP services), etc.
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are excessively or entirely allocated to EAPOL start frames will no longer accept new requests from clients. Sending spoofed EAP failure packets: these could be interpreted by the receiver as implying DoS. Sending premature EAP success packets: some weak implementations allow the WLAN interface to be brought up before the mutual authentication is finished. An attacker could thus send premature EAP success packets, leading to DoS. Depending on the EAP method used, user identification can be read via network sniffing and the password recovered through a dictionary or brute force attack. Stronger EAP methods, such as EAP TLS, SRP, TTLS and PEAP, should be used. The EAP identifier can be anywhere from 0 to 255. The identifier must be unique for the AP in order to associate clients. In some implementations if the EAP identifier space is entirely allocated due to flooding, the AP can no longer accept new request from clients. An insufficient integrity check in EAP packet reception can cause the receiver to malfunction and lead to DoS.
rises, the beam width falls. Polarisation, or the physical orientation of the elements on the antenna. Changing the direction of the radio signal, as well as the AP power, can improve control of the radio broadcast perimeter. The signal range can be controlled by changing the shape of the physical antenna to alter the shape of the signal. Antennas can also be more directional to avoid signal leaks. Some AP vendors offer an option of completely turning off the signal on either the right or left antenna, which is a convenient way to restrict unneeded signals and control the range of the WLAN. The maximum power of APs varies by country, depending on local regulations. The site geography influences the type of antennas used (Figure 5.1). The nature of radio waves makes it easier to produce
Figure 5.1: Antenna shape and power directive antennas at 5GHz than at 2.4GHz. The higher the frequency, the more controlled the radiation zone. Note that a hacker can narrow the detection window and pick up signals from farther away than estimated.
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the intranet to be as unsecured as the Internet. Thus it needs to be segmented, and protected as a demilitarised zone. The DMZ should be protected by a firewall or a network access control gateway (router). All the APs are connected to a wired network, so a network intrusion detection system (NIDS) should be installed to detect attacks based on TCP/IP (Internet protocol). A wireless IDS (WIDS) can be added to detect attacks based on the 802.11 protocol. In another segment, depending on how users are authenticated, authentication and accounting servers can be installed. The accounting server can be used for billable services, for instance in hot spots.
external attacks. If they use a virtual private network (VPN) over the WLAN, additional hardware may be added (such as a WNIC including both specific VPN hardware and an IP stack different from the operating system).
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Figure 5.5: 802.1X/EAP authentication process a method allowing wireless work stations to create an encryption key for the authentication service. EAP acts as an authentication framework for several authentication types, including user name/password, smart cards, Kerberos, public key, one time password and biometrics. It allows many authentication methods to be implemented, such as: EAP MS-CHAP EAP TTLS (Tunnelled TLS) EAP GSS EAP SRP EAP TLS (RFC 2716) EAP MD5 Protected EAP (PEAP) Lightweight EAP (Cisco LEAP) EAP SIM (use of SIM card) EAP consists of several request/response pairs. A request to a client, sent by the network, starts with an EAP identity request sent by an AP and ends with an EAP success or EAP failure message, also sent by the AP. Advantages of 802.1X/EAP authentication are that it: provides user authentication/accounting provides encryption protects the infrastructure results in light network traffic, as there is no perpacket overhead, only periodic authentication transactions allows secured application level protocols, such as VPN, SSL and SSH, to be used Disadvantages of 802.1X/EAP authentication include the following: It is an evolving standard. It requires specific client software. At the moment, proprietary network equipment is required. Investment in new authentication infrastructure is necessary. EAP was designed for PPP, and was never meant to take wireless threat models into account. It is limited to one-way authentication: supplicants and
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authenticators should not send data traffic until mutual authentication is complete. It does not offer authentication of management frames. Traffic can be intercepted. Various types of attack, including hijacking and man in the middle, are possible. Authentication after association presents roaming problems because of the time needed, during which data transmission can be disrupted. If the RADIUS server fails, the WLAN becomes unavailable.
(Secure Shell) - encrypt data and can protect the data communication layer against eavesdropping.
5.3.5. CCMP-AES
In the future 802.11i standard, WEP-RC4 is to be replaced by a security algorithm called the advanced encryption standard (AES), which is intended as the encryption method for all wireless traffic. AES uses a robust algorithm known as Rijndael. The keys can be 128-bit, 192-bit or 256bit, depending on the security need. AES will be used in counter cypher-block chaining mode (CCM). TKIP and the CCM protocol use the same key management, and their implementation requires an authentication server for dynamic key change.
Figure 5.6: WEP, TKIP and CCMP key characteristics on encryption. With PKI, administrators can create the identities (and the associated trust) that the company needs for identification and authentication processes, and
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can manage the public/private key-based encryption. PKI is a system of digital certificates, certification authorities and registration authorities. WLANs may evolve to integrate PKI types of access gateways that allow selective access requiring special credentials. This type of access depends on granting a digital certificate to a user when he or she requests network access. Such a certificate will allow the user to access certain network resources. Wireless PKI access control can be supported by EAP.
In a large network, audits based on wireless scanners and sniffers are neither scalable nor repeatable, so daily security monitoring cannot be based on these techniques. They can be used for network or security troubleshooting, intrusion forensics and occasional security audits, however, as long as it is borne in mind that they may not be exhaustive and that such audits are time consuming if the physical area is large.
Any solution aimed at detecting rogue WLANs must be able to detect APs in the vicinity of the company (to prevent accidental association) as well as all APs of the company network. Moreover, the solution must assure detection of soft APs as well as any ad-hoc network between authorised hosts of the company network. Anomaly detection and intrusion prevention in WLAN is much like that in LAN but must take into account additional challenges, such as locating traffic capture stations (to capture 802.11 traffic, the sensor must be in the geographic area of the WLAN being monitored) and identifying anomalous traffic (analysing 802.11 frames).
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MAC address and perhaps malicious activity. If the company has bought WLAN NIC cards from a single hardware manufacturer, it should be easy to detect any other type.
vendors destination MAC addresses, because in a network discovery scan the destination MAC address is always FF:FF:FF:FF:FF (for broadcast) SSID, because in a probe request frame the SSID is set to a value of 0x00 MAC addresses, which, because they are based on public OUIs, are unique Other fields exist, such as the data payload, the LLC protocol type and the LLC protocol ID. Default values are defined by the standard, but they are not always implemented correctly on either the transmission or receiving end. Bad implementation implies risk of evasion or insertion of packets in the traffic and risk of not being detected by IDS.
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thorised ad-hoc networks. Vulnerability assessment goes no further than that, however, and thus poses less risk to the network than a full penetration test.
Figure 6.1: Wi-Fi logo Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products support a maximum data rate of 11 Mbps (802.11b).
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7. CONCLUSION
Recent demonstrations of multiple vulnerabilities make it clear that robust security solutions are required. Many tools exist to test the level of security of WLAN. Wireless networks are more susceptible to active attacks than wired networks. Though first implementations and standards in WLAN have been identified as unsecured, WPA provides an interim solution to the WEP problem and 802.11i will provide long-term support for secured legacy wireless infrastructure.
The 802.11i standard proposes long-term security solutions for 802.11 WLAN. The full implementation of 802.11i, known as WPA2, will upgrade the fundamental 802.11 WLAN encryption algorithm from TKIP/WEP to an AES based approach. The main security features are: data encryption based on TKIP using RC4 message integrity based on Michael encryption/message integrity based on AES-CCMP user authentication based on 802.1X EAP roaming/pre-authentication ad-hoc networking The processing requirements of AES mean that some Wi-Fi/WPA elements will require hardware upgrades. Products that are 802.11i compliant (WPA2 certified) are expected to be available in the first quarter of 2004.
Adopters of early implementations must strengthen the infrastructure to secure their wireless networks. Late adopters may wait for secure solutions (such as WPA and 802.11i) to evolve before deploying WLANs. Observations related to security design and security implementations indicate that companies are seeking more trustable WLAN components. They expect more secured out-of-the-box configurations, better multi-vendor interoperability, a long-term secured 802.11 standard, etc. If security problems are solved, they will then consider new services based on quality and billable services. To stimulate the market, WPA certification should be delivered as soon as possible, followed by WPA2, hopefully with no need to change hardware. It is also to be hoped that no major weaknesses are discovered in WPA or WPA2; so far the outlook is good, vendors say.
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WLAN best practices If you already have a WLAN: Disable broadcast of SSIDs. Define private SSIDs. Enable WEP 128 bits. Change shared key regularly. Use MAC address filtering. Where possible, use - VPN - client firewall - strong mutual authentication (AP and client) - restricted radiation zone - network segmentation and intrusion protection - TKIP and AES. If you plan to have a WLAN: Wait for WPA or IEEE 802.11i.
8. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Wireless local area networks (WLANs) make the concept of complete mobility a reality, providing new opportunities and challenges. WLAN has proved to be the next major evolution of technology for business. Its rise in popularity has been accompanied by an increase in security concerns. WLAN security, however, is also evolving. Because native security does not prevent attacks, additional security best practices should be followed. These include: assessing the risks before deployment listing and testing the latest wireless technologies and standards evaluating security features and designing a secured network topology defining administration and monitoring procedures planning deployment thoroughly With proper care, it is possible to design and implement a WLAN that is at least as secure as an equivalent wired network. Thales Security Systems helps companies manage WLAN projects to maximise their return on investment and minimise security risks. In a WLAN project, Thales Security Systems offers multiple services in the following areas: consulting - WLAN architecture design - penetration testing - technical and organisational audits - risk analysis - security policy - R&D assistance - WLAN project management - security awareness integration - hot spot package installation - WLAN deployment - product reselling managed services - WLAN monitoring - incident response team
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APPENDIX 1: GLOSSARY (Definitions of terms used in the context of the white paper)
Term
Access control Access point
Definition
Process of controlling use of system resources Entity connecting wireless client (qv) to LAN network. An AP is equivalent to a hub in a wired environment. It can be a hardware device or a softwareapplica tion running on a computer. Client configuration that provides peer-to-peer connexion. An ad hoc mode is an IBSS. Network composed of wireless entities communicating with each other using no AP Process of mapping a wireless client to an AP and enabling the client to invoke DS services Process of proving the identity of a station Set of 802.11-compliant stations controlled by one coordination function. A BSS is composed of wireless stations that can communicate with each other. Any 802.11-compliant entity connected to the WLAN and requesting services
Error detection function telling the NIC that data have been received with or without error. If an error exists the data are discarded; if not they are forwarded to upper levels.
Ad-hoc mode Ad-hoc network Association Authentication Basic service set Client Cyclical redundancy check Deauthentication Direct sequencing spread spectrum Disassociation Distribution system Extended service set Frequency hopping spread spectrum
Independent basic service set network Industrial, scientific and medicine bands Infrastructure mode Infrastructure network Internet protocol
Key Local area network MAC address Media access control Peer-to-peer Roaming Rogue AP Service set identifier Shared key authentication
Process of closing an existing authentication relationship One of the three technologies defined in the 802.11 standard. DSSS uses a radio transmitter to spread data packets over a fixed range of the frequency band. Process of closing an existing association Connection between BSS. In infrastructure mode WLAN, the DS is often the LAN. Set of two or more BSS forming a single subnetwork. Note that each BSS in the ESS has the same SSID. One of the three technologies defined in the 802.11 standard. FHSS takes the data signal and modulates it with a carrier signal that hops from frequency to frequency, as a function of time, over a wide band of frequencies. Not used in 802.11a, b and g. A BSS with no DS; an ad hoc network in which communications are peer-to-peer Radio frequency bands that the US Federal Communications Commission authorised for wireless LANs. The ISM bands are at 902MHz, 2400GHz and 5.7GHz. A client setting providing connectivity to an AP A BSS with one or more APs Protocol by which data are sent from one computer to another on a LAN. In WLAN, data are sent with the 802.11 protocol. When the 802.11 frame packet contains data, they are probably IP type data. The IP is encapsulated in 802.11 protocol. A password or pass-phrase to cypher clear text or decypher encrypted text Communications network offering services for local clients Address unique to a WNIC, based on an OUI allocated to each hardware manufacturer. Radio controller protocol in a WNIC. IEEE 802.11 defines the MAC protocols for media sharing, packet formats and addressing and error detection. Referring to communications among independant stations Ability to connect to multiple APs while maintaining a single authorised connection. Roaming occurs in infrastructure networks built around multiple access points. AP connected to a LAN without permission from network administrator(s) Station network identifier that must be associated to a BSS (either an ESS or an IBSS). Each BSS has a unique SSID, which is a 32-byte string. An alternative WEP authentication type (shared key subtype) based on standard challenge-response along with a shared key. The shared key (also called secret key) is distributed by an external key management service. See glossary entry for Client Protocol specified for encryption and authentication between clients and APs, mainly used to increase confidentiality of data during transmission. There are two levels of WEP authentication: the open system and the shared/secret key.
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APPENDIX 2: ABBREVIATIONS
Abbreviation AES AP CRC-32 DS DSSS FHSS ICV IEEE IrDA IV LAN MAC MAN MIC NIC RC4 PRNG TKIP UHF WEP WLAN WNIC What it stands for Advanced encryption standard Access point Cyclical redundancy check Distribution system Direct sequence spread spectrum Frequency hopping spread spectrum Integrity check value Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers Infrared data association Initialisation vector Local area network Medium access control Metropolitan area network Message integrity check Network interface card Rons Code 4 Pseudo Random Number Generator Temporal key integrity protocol Ultra high frequency Wired equivalent privacy Wireless local area network Wireless network interface card
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EAP
AES Others
FAQ
http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-radius-radius-v2-06.txt http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-radius-accounting-v2-05.txt http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-radius-ext-07.txt http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-radius-tunnel-auth-09.txt http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-radius-tunnel-acct-05.txt http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2284.txt http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2869.txt http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2716.txt http://csrc.nist.gov/encryption/aes/ http://www.80211central.com/ http://www.80211central.com/glossary.html : Glossary http://www.internetnews.com/wireless/archives.php : Newspaper http://www.drizzle.com/~aboba/IEEE/ : The Unofficial 802.11 Security Web Page http://www.wirelessinternet.com/WLANS_Articles_Links.htm : Wireless LAArticles http://www.computerworld.com/mobiletopics/mobile : Computerworld http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_Tourrilhes/Linux/ : Wireless LAN resources for Linux http://www.iss.net/wireless/WLAN_FAQ.php http://www.isaac.cs.berkeley.edu/isaac/wep-faq.html http://www.80211central.com/faqs.html http://www.sfwireless.net/moin/WlanFaq
APPENDIX 5: REFERENCES
Books WiFi Security Hotspot Networks: WiFi for Public Access Locations Wireless Maximum Security The Essential Guide to Wireless Communications Applications White papers An Initial Security Analysis of the IEEE 802.1X Standard Wireless Ethernet WLAN Standards and Wireless Gateways: Making the right choices to secure and manage your WLAN Intercepting Mobile Communications: The Insecurity of 802.11 Layer 2 Analysis of WLAN Discovery Applications for Intrusion Detection A Practical Approach to Identifying and Tracking Unauthorised 802.11 Cards and Access Points WEP2 Security Analysis, Bernard Aboba Enterprise Approaches to Detecting Rogue Wireless LANs Wireless LAN Policies for Security & Management WIRELESS LANs: Risks and Defenses Enterprise Solutions for Wireless LAN Security Stewart S. Miller, McGraw-Hill Networking Professional, 2003 Daniel Minoli, McGraw-Hill Networking Professional, 2002 Cyrus Peikari and Seth Fogie, SAMS, 2003 Andy Dornan, Prentice Hall PTR, 2002
Arunesh Mishra and William A. Arbaugh, University of Maryland, 6 Feb 2002 CISCO Symposium in Paris, Feb 2003 Bluesocket White Paper, 2002
N. Borisov, I. Goldberg, and D. Wagner, http://www.isaac.cs.berkeley.edu/isaac/wep-faq.html Joshua Wright, GCIH, CCNA, 11 Aug 2002 Interlink Networks, Inc., 2002
Microsoft, IEEE 802.11-00/253, May 2001 AirDefense, 2002 AirDefense, 2003 AirDefense, 2002 Wi-Fi Alliance, 6 Feb 2003
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May 2003
Issues in Wireless Security (WEP, WPA & 802.11i) Security Applications Conference, 11 Dec 2002, Pervasive (Ubiquitous) Computing: What it is, and how it may impact e-commerce Wireless LAN MAC Address Spoofing Weaknesses in the Key Scheduling Algorithm of RC4 Your 802.11 Wireless Network Has No Clothes
Brian R. Miller, Booz Allen Hamilton, 18th Annual Computer Efraim Turban, City University of Hong Kong, 2002 Joshua Wright, GCIH, CCNA, January 2003 Scott Fluhrer, Itsik Mantin, Adi Shamir, 2001 William A. Arbaugh, Narendar Shankar, Y.C. Justin Wan, Department of Computer Science, University of Maryland, 30 Mar 2001
Conferences Black Hat 2002, Las Vegas NV, July 2002, http://www.blackhat.com Advanced 802.11 Attack Mike Lynn & Robert Baird 802.1x, What it is, How its broken, Bruce Potter, The Shmoo Group and How to fix it The Need for an 802.11 Mike Schiffman, @state Wireless Toolkit NIST 802.11 Wireless LAN Security Workshop, December 4-5, 2002, http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/ WiFi Security Workshop NIST Opening Remarks, http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/S02-Opening%20remarks-tg.pdf DOD Wireless Policies Timothy J. Havighurst, V34, NSA, and Requirements http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/S04_DOD%20Wireless%20Requirements-th.pdf NIST Cryptographic Standards Bill Burr, NIST, Program http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/S04_NIST_crypto_program_final-bb.pdf 802.11i: The User Perspective Stephen T. Whitlock and Paul Dodd, The User Perspective http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/S06_Boeing-stw.pdf Wireless Networks: Can Security John Pescatore, VP, Internet Security Gartner, Inc., Catch Up With Business? http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/S08_State%20of%20industry-jp.pdf Wi-Fi Protected Access Wi-Fi alliance, Media Briefing http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/S09_WPA%20Analyst%20Briefing%2005-part1-ff.pdf Wi-Fi Alliance Overview http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/S09_Wi-Fi%20Alliance%20Overview-01-part2-ff.pdf IEEE 802.11 Procedures Dave Halasz and Nancy Cam-Winget, CISCO, http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/S09_IEEE802.11Procedures-ncwv2.pdf IEEE 802.11i Overview Nancy Cam-Winget (Cisco Systems), Tim Moore (Microsoft), Dorothy Stanley (Agere Systems), Jesse Walker (Intel Corporation) http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/S10_802.11i%20Overview-jw1.pdf EAP and AAA Update Bernard Aboba (Microsoft) http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/S12_NIST-IETFpart2--ba.pdf IETF/IEEE 802.11i Liason Report Bernard Aboba (Microsoft), NIST 802.11 Security Workshop, http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/S12_NIST-Status-ba.pdf Wireless LAN Security: Where Do Michael Disabato (Burton Group), We Go From Here? http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/S16_WPA%20Panel-md.pdf Wireless LAN Security Solution Russ Housley (Vigil Security), Motives and Rationale http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/S17_WLAN-Security-Rationale1-rh.pdf Strategy Session Tim Grance Bill Burr, http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/S19_StrategySession-lo.pdf Comparison of Cellular Industry (92) Leslie D. Owens, Booz Allen Hamilton, CTIA Critical Issues to WiFi Industry (02) Forum, 15 Nov 2002, http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/S25_Comparison %20of%20cellular%20to%20WiFi-ldo.pdf NIST Wireless Security Guidance SP 800-48, 4 Dec 2002, http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/S05_NIST-tk2.pdf
May 2003
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WEP key cracker 802.11b WLAN detection Access point enumeration FakeAP Multiple Access Points simulation HostAP Access Points simulation Isomair Management analysis ISS Wireless scanner Vulnerability scanner Kismet Mac Stumbler Mini Stumbler 802.11a/b WLAN detection 802.11b WLAN detection Access point enumeration Wireless Ethernet sniffer and analyser War driving and GPS Linux driver Host AP mode network monitoring, capturing, decoding discover AP and capture traffic import Network Stumbler's summary files into Microsoft's MapPoint maps network discovery tool WLAN monitoring application 802.11 network mapper 802.11b WLAN detection SSID Brute force WEP key cracker 802.11b WLAN detection
http://www.blackalchemy.to/Projects/fakeap/fake-ap.html http://hostip.epitest.fi http://www.isomair.com/products.html http://www.iss.net/products_services/enterprise_protection/ vulnerability_assessment/scanner_wireless.php http://www.kismetwireless.net http://homepage.mac.com/macstumbler/ http://wwwmacstumbler.com http://www.stumbler.org http://chocobospore.org/mognet/ http://www.netstumbler.org http://hostap.epitest.fi/ http://www.sniffer.com/products/wireless/default.asp?A=5 http://www.bastard.net/~kos/wifi/ http://www.sonar-security.com/
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May 2003