WiFi Watchdog sniffs out wireless LAN breaches

Rick Broida | November 5, 2004 2:12 PM PST

Summary

Version 4.0 adds WLAN containment and Distributed Packet Inspection.

Topics

Newbury Networks, a provider of wireless-network management and security solutions, announced Monday a new version of its location-based security and containment product for WLANs.

WiFi Watchdog 4.0 is designed to stop unsecured wireless LAN usage across the enterprise. It works with standard WLAN deployments, such as Cisco network infrastructures, to detect, monitor, and secure the location of all 802.11 traffic, Newbury Networks said.

The software identifies all types of 802.11 devices -- both authorized and unauthorized -- as well as rogue access points, and immediately alerts IT personnel of potential intruder activity. Newbury's LocalePoint sensors are used to monitor all channels on the 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g bands.

Among the new features in version 4.0 is WLAN containment, which is designed to prevent the breaches common to wireless LAN use. When WiFi Watchdog 4.0 detects rogue WLANs inside an organization's facilities, it automatically transmits disassociation and de-authentication frames to prevent client association with the rogues. The software also identifies the physical location of the attack to ensure only real threats are contained, Newbury Networks said.

Another new feature, Distributed Packet Inspection, collects all 802.11 traffic and scans it for threats, attacks, and unusual activity. Identified threat events are forwarded to the centralized WiFi Watchdog 4.0 server to trigger appropriate alerts and containment actions. And with the software's Flexible Alerting Engine, users can develop and add custom attack definitions and specify when and to whom alerts are sent, either via SMTP or SNMP.

WiFi Watchdog 4.0 runs on all versions of the Apple, Linux, Sun Solaris, and Windows operating systems. It is available immediately for a starting price of $14,995.

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