Motorola tool simulates wireless network attacks

Wireless Vulnerability Assessment system can identify potential holes.

Motorola has released a tool which it claims can help businesses make sure that their wireless networks are secure.

AirDefense Wireless Vulnerability Assessment (AWVA) offers a new method to secure wireless networks against current threats by using active wireless testing to examine and assess every deployed wireless access point within the network.

"It's sad but true that the threats against wireless local area network [LAN] systems are evolving just as rapidly as the underlying wireless and system technologies," said Craig Mathias, principal analyst at wireless and mobile advisory firm Farpoint Group.

"It's clear that, as wireless LANs take on an ever-greater role in mission-critical enterprise, government and commercial applications, innovative, cost-effective techniques for the proactive and efficient detection, analysis and remediation of a broad range of threats are essential to long-term success. "

Motorola said that this approach allows the AWVA to remotely find and secure vulnerabilities in the wireless network, as well as automating regulatory compliance reporting and increasing the resiliency of wireless networks.

The system uses a patented testing technology to simulate a variety of attacks on the network to highlight security holes to administrators.

AWVA also includes a range of scan features to validate firewall and wireless switch policies, along with several discovery options to enumerate multiple paths of entry to sensitive systems on the wired side.

The system is an add-on module for Motorola's existing AirDefense Enterprise Wireless Intrusion Prevention System. Once a user has purchased the licence they can use the radio of the wireless sensor to simulate a wireless client station from which to conduct the tests.

AWVA can also be configured to run automatically or on-demand to ensure that the best protection and regulatory compliance is achieved, Motorola said.