Some businesses are moving to the convenience of wireless networks because with wireless, virtually unlimited numbers of systems can access the network without having to plug in. Ironically, the same feature that makes wireless so useful is also the element that makes it risky. Since an intruder doesn’t have to have an ethernet cable to connect to the network, it’s much easier and more tempting for rogues to break into the network, wreaking havoc on security and privacy for anyone who is legitimately connected to the network.

For this reason, it is important to set up a wireless intrusion detection system (WIDS) even before the wireless network is up and running.  A WIDS is typically a network device that scans the range of the network, looking for the presence of unauthorized access points which signal the presence of an intruder. The WIDS looks at the unique MAC address of each device on the network to make sure it is approved. If an unapproved MAC address is detected, the WIDS alerts the network administrator, who can then take steps to boot the intruder and close the security hole.

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