Create a Secure Wireless Network

Wireless continues to be the most common access layer technology for users and their devices. This also makes it a prime entry point for cyber criminals looking to compromise a network.

On-air encryption of sensitive data is an important first step for securing the wireless environment, but it doesn’t address all possible issues. Rather than decrypting data, many new attacks look to access the network itself and pull information from network resources directly. Improved authentication mechanisms can help to ensure that only approved users are on the network, but with the explosion of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, a whole new category of devices without security need network access.

Companies need a solution that not only secures the wireless layer itself, but also segments network traffic based on who or what is accessing it, and can give visibility and control of IoT devices. In addition, with wireless devices being used both inside and outside the corporate network, steps need to be taken to evaluate and police trusted devices to ensure they have not been compromised while outside the corporate network.

With the Fortinet Security Fabric, management of FortiAPs is integrated into the FortiGate, allowing for immediate detection and remediation of compromised end devices. When paired with FortiNAC for IoT and FortiAuthenticator with FortiToken for strong 2-factor authentication, low-end devices can be controlled while login-based employee access can be verified as the real user. Integration with FortiAnalyzer allows for compromised devices to be flagged and dealt with accordingly.

Fortinet’s secure wireless access solution delivers the multiple layers of security that are needed to deploy a truly secure wireless network for all classes of wireless devices, from headless IoT to BYOD and IT-assigned laptops.