Hacking: The Art of Exploitation, 2nd Edition

Wireless 802.11b Encryption

Wireless 802.11b security has been a big issue, primarily due to the absence of it. Weaknesses in Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), the encryption method used for wireless, contribute greatly to the overall insecurity. There are other details, sometimes ignored during wireless deployments, which can also lead to major vulnerabilities.

The fact that wireless networks exist on layer 2 is one of these details. If the wireless network isn't VLANed off or firewalled, an attacker associated to the wireless access point could redirect all the wired network traffic out over the wireless via ARP redirection. This, coupled with the tendency to hook wireless access points to internal private networks, can lead to some serious vulnerabilities. ...