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How to reduce wireless driver security vulnerabilities

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How to reduce wireless driver security vulnerabilities

Ed Skoudis, past SearchSecurity.com expert

I've read so much about potential hackers creating problems for those with wireless cards, and it made me wonder if I am at risk.

I currently use a laptop that has an internal wireless card. I'm hoping that my up-to-date Norton Security (2006 ed., with antivirus, personal firewall, privacy control, antispam, antispyware, and firewall) and Ad-Aware SE, is enough to prevent this threat. The reports I've read, however, didn't indicate whether an up-to-date security suite is enough to protect myself. What other steps should I take?

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You have gone a long way in protecting yourself with an up-to-date suite of security tools, but there is one more vital step. Given recent reports of security vulnerabilities in wireless drivers, make sure you have the latest drivers for your system. One of the most popular wireless vendors, Intel, recently released a set of critical patches for their Centrino wireless clients.

If you use another vendor's wireless card and drivers, visit their Web site and see if they've released an update in the past few months. If so, install it. Although no exploits are in the wild at this time, it is vital to install these critical patches in a timely fashion given the scrutiny that wireless drivers have received in recent months.

More information:
Attend our Wireless Security Lunchtime Learning program and learn how to combat WiFi threats.

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This was first published in September 2006

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