10 Tips For Securing Wireless Devices

6) Employ WPA or 802.1x technology in WLANs. This technology requires a user to use an authentication key to access the wireless LAN. The newer 802.1x technology is designed to be used in enterprise environments where both wired and wireless networks might be present.

7) Test, test, test. Testing is mandatory to ensure that security works as expected. This includes having trusted people (or third parties) attempt to hack into the system with a remote device and ensuring that authorized people can continue to access the network as desired.

8) Employ two-step authentication. For the best protection, this means more than a PIN and password. Typically, it's a combination of something a person knows (password) with something he has, like a token. Some 60 percent of Aventail installations include security tokens, Hopen says. If a company is small and has only a few people who need authorization, then it might want to consider using pre-shared keys. Larger enterprises should rely on tokens that change the keys on a predetermined basis. Hopen, for example, carries a token on a key chain that changes the key every 60 seconds.

9) Audit/monitor results. This is important not only from a security standpoint, but also for Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, Hopen points out.

10) Understand security is an continual process. IT leaders and all staff must realize that security is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. As Matthais notes, “You’re never done” when it comes to network security.