The development in the communication systems and the networking has given rise to the wireless networks. The ease and flexibility of wireless communication has enabled us to use personal assistance devices to be used anywhere. This has enabled the mankind to excel in every field of the life, but at the same time it has many threats as well.
Security threats to Wireless Networks
Besides all the comforts of the life wireless networks poses serious security threats. The main reason is the signals are spread in the air and it is convenient for the hackers to catch wireless signals. Wireless networks require very tight security so that the unauthorized users cannot exploit the information. As more and users are making use of the wireless technologies, the risk of data being lost is increasing. The current wireless encryption protocols are difficult to handle .moreover the common users are not aware of the ways of addressing wireless security matters. One must build strong security protocols in order to secure the wireless signals like WPA and WPA2. Moreover wireless intrusion prevention system is another better way to build strong security system.
Major disadvantages of wireless technology
Wireless is a public frequency network therefore its interface is highly risky to be used for official private information. The speed and the viability of the wireless signals drop as more and more users use the same frequency. Moreover its original throughput is three times less than it claims to deliver. Wireless technology is available in only three major channels ranging from 2.5 GHz, 11 and 1.6 GHz, Which is much lower than the wired network. They are 50 times slower than the wired network technologies. The wireless signals are also attuned by the barriers such as walls, doors and devices itself. The setup of the wireless technology is difficult maintain. Hence it an unstable network. Though wireless technologies provide flexibility to use and carry your laptop or any other portable device with you anywhere, but the longer the distance the weaker the signals. The extensive use of wireless signals over the mobile phone is dangerous to the health of the human beings. The various health problems that wireless can pose are memory loss and even cancer.
Wireless signals are prone to disrupt by the infrared and radio signals. Wireless technologies are four times more expensive than wired technology due to their difficult setup. If one needs to transfer confidential data over the network wireless technology is a serious risk to be used. Banks, investigation agencies and legal data should be transferred using wired network technologies, because they are more safe and sound. The wireless technology offers public access points which hinder the efficient transfer of data.
Types of Unauthorized Access to Wireless Networks
The unauthorized access to the wireless signals is really common. The various types of unauthorized access are malicious association, accidental association, ad hoc networks, and non traditional networks, man in the middle attack, identity theft and denial of service. When a user turn on its PC, and he or she receives unauthorized signals from a neighboring building. User might not even signals are emerging and make use of it are have a clue from where they are emerging and make use of it, then we can call it accidental association. When a person uses crackers to access the password of the wireless network it is termed as malicious network. When the wireless technology has no centre device to act for it encryption settings are hard to mange therefore security can not be achieved. Bluetooth devices and PDAs are non traditional form of networks; they can be easily hacked by using cracker technology.
