Identify the Different Wireless Systems in Use Today

• Wireless Application Protocol or WAP is used on small, handheld devices like cell phones for out-of-the-office connectivity.



• 802.11, the standard for wireless local area networks, and the different specifications of the standard, such as 802.11b, 802.11a, and 802.11g. Identify WAP and Its Security Implications



• WAP is the data protocol used by many cellular phones to deliver e-mail and lightweight web services.



• Designers created WTLS as a method to ensure privacy of the data because it was being broadcast.



• WTLS has a number of inherent security problems, such as weak encryption necessitated by the low computing power of the devices and the network transition that must occur at the cellular provider’s network, or the WAP GAP.

Understand 802.11’s Security Issues and Possible Solutions

• 802.11 does not allow physical control of the transport mechanism.



• Transmission of all network data wirelessly transmits frames to all wireless machines, not just a single client, similar to Ethernet hub devices.



• Poor authentication. The SSID is broadcast to anyone listening.



• Flawed implementation of the RC4 encryption algorithm makes even encrypted traffic subject to interception and decryption.

Describe Instant Messaging Systems and Their Security Issues

• AOL Instant Messenger, ICQ, and MSN Messenger are all different versions of instant messaging programs.



• They all send messages in the clear, without a native encryption built into the default clients.



• All the clients need to attach to a server in order to communicate. Therefore, when attached to the server, they announce the source IP of a particular user.



• Instant messaging can also transfer files. This activity typically bypasses any security built into the network, especially mail server virus protections.