Discovering Wireless Networks
Wireless security has improved over the years, but wireless networks are still susceptible to vulnerabilities. If you’re planning to take the Security+ exam, you should have a basic understanding of securing a wireless network.
For example, can you answer this question?
Q. Management asks you if you can modify the wireless network to prevent users from easily discovering it. Which of the following would you modify to meet this goal?
A. CCMP
B. WPA2 Enterprise
C. SSID broadcast
D. MAC address filter
More, do you know why the correct answer is correct and the incorrect answers are incorrect? The answer and explanation is available at the end of this post.
Full Security+ Course
SY0-501 Full Security+ Course
Helping you Pass the First Time
Online access includes all of the content from the
CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-501 Study Guide
- Introduction
- About the exam (including information on the number of questions, test duration, passing score, types of questions and more. Also includes a listing of the exam objectives)
- 75 question pre-assessment exam
- Mastering Security Basics (full content from Chapter 1 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Understanding Identity and Access Management (full content from Chapter 2 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Exploring Network Technologies and Tools (full content from Chapter 3 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Securing Your Network (full content from Chapter 4 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Securing Hosts and Data (full content from Chapter 5 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Comparing Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Common Attacks (full content from Chapter 6 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Protecting Against Advanced Attacks (full content from Chapter 7 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Using Risk Management Tools (full content from Chapter 8 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Implementing Controls to Protect Assets (full content from Chapter 9 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Understanding Cryptography and PKI (full content from Chapter 10 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Implementing Policies to Mitigate Risks (full content from Chapter 11 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- 75 question post-assessment exam
- Glossary
Get the SY0-501 Full Security+ Course Here
Test your readiness with these quality materials
Random 75-question tests
Random practice tests from the all of the practice test questions in the CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-501 Study Guide. All questions include explanations so you'll know why the correct answers are correct, and why the incorrect answers are incorrect.3 sets Performance-based Questions
Three new sets of performance-based questions with a total of 30 questions. These new questions use a new testing engine that includes realistic drag and drop, matching, sorting, and fill in the blank questions.
Flashcard Set
- 494 Online Security+ Glossary Flashcards
- 222 Online Security+ Acronyms Flashcards
- 223 Online Security+ Remember This Slide from the popular CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-501 Study Guide
Audio - SY0-501 Security+ Remember This Audio Files
Learn by Listening. Over one hour and 20 minutes of audio (MP3 downloads.)Audio - SY0-501 Security+ Question and Answer Audio Files
Learn by Listening. Over two hours hour and 53 minutes of audio (MP3 downloads.)Bonus #1
Audio from the end of chapter reviews from each of the chapters in the CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-501 Study Guide
. Over one hour and 40 minutes of additional audio.Bonus #2
Access to all of the online content that is available for free to anyone that purchases the CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-501 Study Guide
. This includes labs, extra practice test questions, and supplementary materialsBonus #3
Access the study materials for a total of 60 days because sometimes life happens.Change Default SSID
Wireless networks are identified by a service set identifier (SSID), which is simply the name of the wireless network. Many WAPs come with default SSIDs. For example, the default SSID of some older Linksys WAPs is “Linksys” or “linksys-g.” Some newer WAPs force you to enter the name of the SSID when you first install it and do not include a default. From a defense-in-depth perspective, it’s a good idea to change the name of the SSID if a default is used. It simply gives attackers less information.
For example, if a war driver sees a wireless network with a SSID of Linksys, the attacker has a good idea that the network is using a Linksys WAP. If the attacker knows about specific weaknesses with this WAP, he can start exploiting these weaknesses. On the other hand, a WAP with a SSID of “Success” doesn’t give the attacker any clues about the WAP.
Disable SSID Broadcasting or Not
One of the goals of 802.11 wireless networks is ease of use. The designers wanted wireless computers to be able to easily find each other and work together. They were successful with this goal. Unfortunately, attackers can also easily find your networks. By default, WAPs broadcast the SSID in cleartext, making it easy to locate wireless networks.
At some point years ago, someone stated that the SSID was a password (not true!), and many information technology (IT) professionals latched onto the idea that you can increase security by disabling the SSID broadcast. Others say that the SSID has nothing to do with security and disabling the broadcast reduces usability but does not increase security.
As background, WAPs must regularly send out a beacon frame to ensure interoperability with other devices in the wireless network. This beacon frame includes the SSID, and if the SSID broadcast is disabled, the SSID entry is blank. However, even if the SSID broadcast is disabled, the WAP includes the SSID in Probe responses sent in response to Probe requests from authorized wireless clients. Because of this, it’s easy for an attacker with a wireless sniffer to listen for the Probe responses and detect the SSID.
In other words, disabling the SSID makes it a little more difficult for attackers to find your network, but not much. It’s almost like locking the front door of your house, but leaving the key in the lock.
Steve Riley wrote in a security blog titled “Myth vs. reality: Wireless SSIDs” that disabling the SSID for security “is a myth that needs to be forcibly dragged out behind the woodshed, strangled until it wheezes its last labored breath, then shot several times for good measure.” In case it isn’t clear, Mr. Riley is in the camp that says you should not disable the SSID. For the record, I agree with him.
For the CompTIA Security+ exam, you should know that it is possible to disable the SSID broadcast and hide the network from casual users. However, an attacker with a wireless sniffer can easily discover the SSID even if SSID broadcast is disabled.
Remember this
The service set identifier (SSID) identifies the name of the wireless network. You should change the SSID from the default name. Disabling SSID broadcast can hide the network from casual users, but an attacker can easily discover it with a wireless sniffer.
Q. Management asks you if you can modify the wireless network to prevent users from easily discovering it. Which of the following would you modify to meet this goal?
A. CCMP
B. WPA2 Enterprise
C. SSID broadcast
D. MAC address filter
Answer is C. You can disable service set identifier (SSID) broadcasting to prevent users from easily discovering the wireless networks. None of the other methods hide the network.
Counter Mode Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol (CCMP) provides stronger security for Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) and WPA2 Enterprise adds authentication for a wireless network.
Media access control (MAC) address filtering can restrict access to the wireless network.
