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Wi-Fi is an abbreviation for wireless fidelity and is used to generically
refer to any type of wireless network based on the IEEE 802.11 standard. This
includes a variety of networks such as 802.11b or 802.11g, which are two
popular forms of Wi-Fi; 802.11a; and 802.11n, a multi-streaming modulation
technique.
Wi-Fi internet access is offered for free or at a low cost by many companies
and organizations across the United States, such as coffee shops and
restaurants, airports and public libraries. In addition, many companies are
incorporating Wi-Fi into their internal, wired networks to offer convenience
for employees, extend the network at a low cost and for ease of setup and
administration. Although convenient and inexpensive, these connections lacked
adequate security when the technology was first introduced, and even today
are often unsecure by their nature (such as free Wi-Fi for public use) or
because of a lack of knowledge of proper security configuration.
Security is essential for the public sector, which is one reason why many
government agencies, healthcare organizations and educational facilities
haven't implemented internal Wi-Fi networks. A security breach can compromise
data privacy, and even lead to loss of life, political instability and so on.
However, savvy managers and IT professionals can make safe and effective use
of 802.11 technology by fully understanding today's wireless environments,
selecting the right solution for their organization and using the technology
to their advantage.
This quick lesson is designed to help you understand the risks associated
with Wi-Fi and discover the best security tools available, should you decide
to implement Wi-Fi in your workplace or enable mobile employees to use Wi-Fi
access on the road.
Here's what's covered in the sections of this quick lesson:
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Understanding Wi -Fi components
and security risks: Learn the differences between Wired Equivalent
Privacy (WEP) and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and put the pieces of the
Wi-Fi puzzle together with information on topics like authentication and
public Wi-Fi hotspots.
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Improving Wi-Fi security: protocols and methodologies:
Understand the different security methodologies and technologies that are
recommended, including more secure forms of key exchange and encryption,
more secure protocols, virtual private networks and authentication.
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Applying best practices to Wi-Fi networking: Take a quick
look at best practices for securing Wi-Fi networks, which include ensuring
authentication, confidentiality, access control and integrity.
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Complying with government security requirements and
regulations: Learn how security requirements and regulations
affect the use of wireless technologies.
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Configuring Wi-Fi security: Review how particular user
needs map to proper wireless security solutions.
Now that you know what to expect in this quick lesson, let's get started with
the topics in the next section: Wi-Fi components and security risks.
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