Wireless Network Security MAIN THREATS AT DIFFERENT LAYERS

A Wireless Network is a wireless communication system that allows computers and workstations to communicate and exchange data with each other using electromagnetic waves as the transmission medium. WLAN is commonly referred to as “Wi-Fi” (wireless fidelity). Wireless local area networks give freedom to one move their wireless devices from one place to other within their offices and organizations without the need for wires and without losing network connectivity. Nowadays wireless networks are used in many areas such as in universities, healthcare-centers, hospitals, police departments, military and airports. Therefore, it is very important to enhance the wireless network security in order to protect the information of the network. Different network security protocols have been developed to secure the wireless network, among which are WEP, WPA, and WPA2. Because radio waves can pass through ceilings, floors, and walls, transmitted data may reach unintended recipients on different floors or even outside the building, it gives opportunity to attackers to intercept the information that can be used to launch different types of attacks. Therefore, it is important to know different kind of security attacks at different layers in order to defend the wireless networks. Keywords-security; protocol; vulnerability; theat;