Introduction

Welcome to Hacking Wireless Networks For Dummies. This book outlines
plain-English, wireless-network hacker tricks and techniques you can
use to ethically hack 802.11-based wireless networks (yours or someone else’s
if you’ve been given permission) and discover security vulnerabilities. By
turning the tables and using ethical hacking techniques, you then have a leg
up on the malicious hackers — you’ll be aware of any vulnerabilities that
exist and be able to plug the holes before the bad guys have a chance to
exploit them.
When we refer to ethical hacking, we mean the professional, aboveboard, and
legal type of security testing that you — as an IT professional — can perform
as part of your job. Villains need not apply.
Wireless networks are popping up everywhere. They provide a lot of freedom
but not without cost: All too many wireless networks are left wide open for
attack. As with any other computer or network, you must be up on the latest
security concepts to properly secure 802.11-based wireless networks. But
locking them down involves more than just port-scanning testing and patching
vulnerabilities. You must also have the right security tools, use the
proper testing techniques, and possess a watchful eye. And know your enemy:
It’s critical to think like a hacker to get a true sense of how secure your information
really is.
Ethical hacking is a means of using the bad-guy (black-hat) techniques for
good-guy (white-hat) purposes. It’s testing your information systems with the
goal of making them more secure — and keeping them that way. This type of
security testing is sometimes called penetration testing, white-hat hacking, or
vulnerability testing, but it goes further than that as you’ll see when we outline
the methodology in this book.
If you use the resources provided in this book, maintain a security-focused
mindset, and dedicate some time for testing, we believe you’ll be well on your
way to finding the weaknesses in your wireless systems and implementing
countermeasures to keep the bad guys off your airwaves and out of your
business.
The ethical hacking tests and system-hardening tips outlined in this book can
help you test and protect your wireless networks at places like warehouses,
coffee shops, your office building, your customer sites, and even at your house