L9. Wireless & Mobile Security
Course outlineLesson 9 of 20
Wireless networks and mobile devices introduce unique risks that traditional perimeter controls cannot fully address. This lesson covers Wi-Fi security protocols, common wireless attacks, and mobile device management strategies.
Wi-Fi Security Protocols
| Protocol | Authentication | Encryption | Vulnerability |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEP | Shared key | RC4 | Completely broken; never use |
| WPA2-Personal | PSK (Pre-Shared Key) | CCMP/AES | Offline dictionary attacks on 4-way handshake |
| WPA2-Enterprise | 802.1X / RADIUS | CCMP/AES | Weak if RADIUS not hardened |
| WPA3-Personal | SAE | CCMP/AES | Forward secrecy; eliminates offline dictionary attacks |
| WPA3-Enterprise | 802.1X + 192-bit suite | GCMP-256 | Current strongest standard |
Common Wireless Attacks
Evil twin: attacker creates a rogue access point with the same SSID as a legitimate network. Clients connect and traffic is intercepted. Deauthentication attack: attacker sends spoofed 802.11 deauth frames to force clients to disconnect and reconnect. In WPA2, management frames are unprotected. WPA3 uses Protected Management Frames (PMF) to prevent this. Wardriving: driving around to discover and map wireless networks using a laptop and antenna. WPS PIN attack: WPA-WPS PIN can be brute-forced in hours due to a design flaw. Disable WPS on corporate APs. Rogue AP: an unauthorized access point physically connected to the corporate network. Use wireless intrusion detection and NAC to detect.Mobile Device Management
MDM (Mobile Device Management): full device control. IT can enforce policies, wipe the device, manage apps, and track location. Best for corporate-owned devices. MAM (Mobile Application Management): app-level control only. Manages and secures specific apps without controlling the full device. Better for BYOD. Key BYOD security controls: containerization (separate personal and corporate data), remote wipe of corporate container only, acceptable use policy, VPN for corporate access.- ✓WPA3 uses SAE (Simultaneous Authentication of Equals), which prevents offline dictionary attacks possible with WPA2 PSK
- ✓Evil twin attack: attacker creates a rogue AP with the same SSID to intercept traffic from connecting clients
- ✓WPA3 Protected Management Frames (PMF) prevent deauthentication attacks that work against WPA2
- ✓MDM controls the entire device (corporate-owned); MAM controls only specific apps (preferred for BYOD)
- ✓WPS PIN has a design flaw enabling brute-force in hours; disable WPS on all corporate access points
1. Which WPA3 feature prevents an attacker from performing an offline dictionary attack on a captured Wi-Fi handshake?
2. An organization wants to secure corporate apps on employee personal devices without controlling the entire phone. Which solution is most appropriate?
3. An attacker sets up an access point with the SSID "CoffeeShop_WiFi" to match the legitimate café network. Users connect and their traffic is intercepted. What attack is this?
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