A newer
wireless security feature is WPA and WPA2 (WiFi Protected Access), which uses
improved wireless data encryption and user authentica-tion. Look for newer devices that have WPA or WPA2
to replace the aging WEP.
WEP
(Wired Equivalent Privacy) is an older security protocol for 802.11 wireless networks. WEP was designed to secure information by encrypting it while it travels over radio
waves. WEP had security flaws right from the start and is now easily compromised with some newer WEP key cracking tools.
The flaws in WEP can allow a war driver (Wardriver: a person who drives around seeking unencrypted or encrypted
residential & business wireless networks to monitor and view wireless computer data. Why do
they do this? They can steal passwords, credit card numbers and other personal information)
or a hacker to use a sniffing program with an antennae or wireless laptop to analyze your wireless traffic piece by piece
in order to crack your WEP key.
Cracking
a WEP key used to take several hours or days depending on the speed and amount of wireless traffic flowing
across a WiFi network. Now, these newer tools can crack a WEP key in minutes! Therefore,
if you have sensitive business or personal data being accessed on a wireless network, it is strongly advised that you
upgrade to devices that support WPA and WPA2 to secure your personal and business information or convert back to a "wired" network.
Before you purchase new wireless equipment, see if there are "firmware"
(Firmware is coded instruction that are programmed on to computer chips) updates for your older WiFi devices
that incorporate the newer encryption standards.
