WLAN security checklist

Brian Clark

WLAN security goes a little beyond wired LANs. Stay safe and don't pay for a costly mistake that can be avoided. This tip is directed toward IT professionals and network administrators.

WLAN Checklist

WLAN's are fast, reliable, but how do you protect your WLAN and your investment? I am assuming you are running more than a home network and you have servers running.

The Checklist:

DO NOT allow SMTP relay.

DO use SMTP authentication.

Get a Firewall/NAT router (we use Cisco.)

Secure all user accounts with hard to guess passwords.

Monitor your network traffic and block unknown IP/ranges.

If you use a VPN - secure it too.

Backup all data!

Use http authorization to get to the Internet. Some proxy servers support this. Proxy + is a good one.

Use a stateful packet inspection firewall.

Update A/V definitions daily if possible.

If you need better than normal authentication, try using an RSA SecurID solution, smart cards, or similar.

WLAN's are vulernable and it is a good idea to follow a few simple tips to better protect your WLAN. Hackers are smart too but when your WLAN is protected they very well may get frustrated give up.

This was last published in February 2003

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WLAN security checklist