Wireless LAN Security White Paper [Wireless Network Security] - Cisco Systems

Wireless LAN Security White Paper [Wireless Network Security] - Cisco Systems

SSID is used as a logical separator for WLANs.

The authentication process:

1) Client probes on every channel (probe request frame)
2) Access point in range respond with a probe response frame.
3) The client decides which AP is the best for access and sends an authentication request
4) The AP will send an authentication reply
5) After successful authentication, the client will send an association request frame to the access point.
6) The AP will then send an association response
7) The client is now able to pass traffic to the Access Point

Probe Request: Client sends probe request frames on each channel and listens for a response.

Open Authentication: AP will grant any request for authentication.

Shared Key Authentication: Require a static WEP key.

Shared Key Process:
1) The client sends authentication request
2) Access point responds with challenge text
3) Client uses local key to decrypt and reply's with authentication request
4) If AP can decrypt authentication request and retrieve the original text it will respond with a authentication response

MAC Address Authentication = MAC Filtering