Wi-Fi Security Threats

Introduction

Wireless communication refers to the transmission of information or data from one place to other place via a wireless medium that is through air by using electromagnetic waves (infrared, radio frequency, satellite). Now, days there are different types of Wireless communications available like Satellite communication, Wireless Networking, WiMAX, Bluetooth and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), etc.

Among these, Wi-Fi is the most popular wireless communication technology commonly known as wireless LAN. It is based on IEEE 802.11 standards, which uses radio waves to communicate with other devices. It provides a communication between internet routers and other devices like laptops, personal digital assistant (PDA) ,smart phones, tablets,

• Power consumption: It uses power as per its need.

Wi-Fi Security Threats

Wi-Fi networks are spread all over the world in a very short span of time. It is widely used in institutions of higher learning, Cybercafés, Offices, hotels, malls, and airports. Devices equipped with wireless adapter can have the access to internet via an access point. But access and data transfer via wireless medium is prone to security issues which creates an important security concerns for the developers as well as the users.

Attacks on Wireless networks can be of two types: First is on Network access control, Data confidentiality and integrity protection while the other one is based on wireless network design, deployment, and maintenance of the unique methods of attack [3].

Following are some of the threats:

1. Network Sniffing:

Network sniffing is the process to captures low-level package data which has been transmitted over a network. After the analysis of captured information the attacker can be able to get the user information such as user ids and passwords. A sniffer can be a frame capturing or packet-capturing. There are two types of Sniffing Active and

Passive sniffing is a common and often undetectable infringement of wireless security.

Active Sniffing: Active Sniffing involves intercepting data transmitted over a network that uses a switch. There are two ways to sniff data which involves switch are ARP poisoning and MAC flooding. But Active sniffing is