Hands-On Wi-Fi Security Training – 2 Day

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2-Day Instructor-Led Hands-On Lab Class
Available in either Web-Based Delivery or On-Site Delivery
Minimum 10 Students – Maximum 16 Students

Course Description

Wi-Fi is one of the most widely used network access technologies, making wireless security an essential skill for network engineers, broadband technicians, IT professionals, support personnel, and anyone responsible for protecting network infrastructure and customer connectivity.

The CSI-HO-030 Hands-On Wi-Fi/WLAN Security course provides a practical introduction to wireless network security by examining both how WLAN attacks work and how those risks can be identified and mitigated.

This two-day course combines technical instruction, network analysis, demonstrations, and hands-on exercises using a Linux-based security lab environment. Students investigate the tools, techniques, vulnerabilities, and defensive practices associated with Wi-Fi networks.

Rather than discussing wireless security only at a conceptual level, the course allows students to examine what an attacker may be able to discover about a WLAN, how reconnaissance and scanning work, how wireless traffic can be observed, and how weaknesses in WLAN implementations may be exploited.

Students work with security and network-analysis tools such as Nmap, WiGLE, Shodan, Kismet, and Wifite while exploring concepts including reconnaissance, MAC addressing, packet capture, wireless probes, denial-of-service techniques, captive portals, legacy encryption vulnerabilities, social engineering, and network-layer security.

Attack techniques are examined in a controlled and authorized lab environment so students can understand why vulnerabilities exist, what evidence these activities create, and what defensive measures can reduce the associated risks.

The course then connects these attack concepts to mitigation. Students examine security controls at multiple networking layers and discuss technologies such as SSH and HTTPS that help protect information and network access.

Questions addressed during the course include:

What information can an attacker discover about a Wi-Fi network?
How does WLAN reconnaissance work?
What are Wi-Fi scanning tools looking for?
How can wireless packets be captured and analyzed?
Can MAC address filtering provide effective WLAN security?
How can MAC addresses be changed or spoofed?
How can probe frames expose information about Wi-Fi devices?
Why are legacy technologies such as WEP insecure?
What are denial-of-service risks in a wireless environment?
How can captive portal implementations introduce security concerns?
How do social engineering and weak credentials affect WLAN security?
What tools can defenders use to investigate a wireless environment?
What security controls can be used to reduce WLAN risk?

The goal of the course is not simply to demonstrate wireless attacks. It is to help students develop the knowledge necessary to recognize WLAN security weaknesses, understand how those weaknesses can be exploited, and make better decisions about protecting wireless networks.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Explain fundamental network and WLAN security terminology.
Understand the basic goals of confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Recognize common WLAN security vulnerabilities.
Explain the major phases associated with network reconnaissance and attacks.
Understand how attackers discover information about wireless networks.
Use selected WLAN and network security tools in an authorized lab environment.
Understand wireless reconnaissance and scanning techniques.
Explain the security limitations of MAC address filtering.
Understand MAC address spoofing and its implications.
Capture and examine selected WLAN network traffic.
Recognize common wireless attack techniques and vectors.
Understand wireless denial-of-service concepts.
Explain how Wi-Fi probe activity can expose information.
Understand vulnerabilities associated with legacy WLAN security mechanisms.
Recognize common credential and social-engineering risks.
Use tools such as Nmap, Kismet, WiGLE, Shodan, and Wifite to better understand WLAN security.
Identify possible mitigation techniques for common WLAN vulnerabilities.
Explain how Layer 2 and Layer 3 security controls can help protect networks.
Understand how technologies such as SSH and HTTPS protect application and management traffic.
Apply security knowledge to improve customer, enterprise, and service-provider WLAN environments.

The emphasis throughout the course is on connecting attack technique, observable evidence, vulnerability, and mitigation so students understand not only what can happen, but why it happens and what can be done about it.

Who Should Attend?

This course is designed for telecommunications, broadband, networking, and IT professionals who require a stronger understanding of Wi-Fi security and want practical experience examining WLAN vulnerabilities and security tools.

Ideal students include:

Broadband technicians
Field technicians
Customer service technicians
Network Engineers
Network Support Engineers
Network Operations personnel
Network Administrators
IT professionals
Security personnel
Network Design Engineers
Development and Test Engineers
Network Management personnel
Technical Sales professionals
Sales Engineers
Technical Marketing personnel
Supervisors responsible for network or WLAN operations
Individuals preparing for networking or cybersecurity certifications

The course is particularly valuable for personnel responsible for deploying, supporting, troubleshooting, or protecting Wi-Fi networks who need to understand wireless security from both the attacker and defender perspectives.

Course Prerequisites

Students should have a basic understanding of computer networking and Wi-Fi operation.

Previous cybersecurity expertise is not required; however, familiarity with IP networking, Ethernet, and WLAN terminology will help students gain the most from the hands-on exercises.

Students must attend with a laptop computer and compatible Wi-Fi hardware capable of supporting the course lab environment.

The course uses a Linux-based lab system provided by CellStream for the hands-on exercises. Students should verify laptop and Wi-Fi hardware compatibility before attending the class.

Course Materials

Students will receive a Course Student Guide supporting the concepts, demonstrations, and exercises presented throughout the class.

Students will also receive access to the Linux-based lab environment used for the hands-on security exercises.

Course Outline

Section 1: Establishing The Groundwork
- Overview and Introductions
- Introduction/Logistics/Time Frames/Course Plan
- Accessing the Online School content
- LAB: Getting Set Up for the Lab Experiments and Exercises
Section 2: Brief Introduction to Security and WLAN Security
- Security Terminology
- Types of Hackers
- Group Exercise: Where are vulnerabilities in an IP Network?
- Phases in Hacking
- Attack Types and Vectors
- Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability
- Malware, Malware Mitigation, Examples
Section 3: Reconnaissance & Scanning the WLAN/Wi-Fi Network
- Web Based tools: WIGLE and SHODAN
- MAC Filtering/By-Pass, ARP Scanning
- Scanning with nmap
- LAB: Listening to the WLAN/Wi-Fi Networks
- LAB: Changing your MAC address
- LAB: Sniffing Packets off the WLAN/Wi-Fi Network
Section 4: Access, Denial of Service, and Man In the Middle Attacks
- LAB: Jamming Users and Channels in the WLAN/Wi-Fi Environment
- LAB: Leveraging Probe Frames in the WLAN
- LAB: Hacking into Captive Portal WLAN/Wi-Fi Systems
- LAB: Cracking WEP Networks
Section 5: Personal Security
- Personal Awareness
- Default Username/Passwords
- Personal Security – Social Engineering
Section 6: Layer 2 and Layer 3 Mitigation
Section 7: Layer 5 Mitigation with SSH and HTTPS
Section 8: Other WLAN/Wi-Fi Security Tools
- LAB: The Kismet WLAN/Wi-Fi Tool
- LAB: The Wifite WLAN/Wi-Fi Tool
Section 9: Conclusions

Course Availability:

View the course calendar and browse for our schedule. It will show scheduled courses and available dates for scheduling.

CSI-HO-030 – Hands-On Understanding Security in WLAN/Wi-Fi Networks