Implementation and/or exploitation of wireless technology within a network are common paths for malicious users to gain unauthorized access to the network and cardholder data. Unauthorized wireless devices could be hidden within or attached to a computer or other system component. These devices could also be attached directly to a network port, to a network device such as a switch or router, or inserted as a wireless interface card inside a system component.
Even if a company has a policy prohibiting the use of wireless technologies, an unauthorized wireless device or network could be installed without the company’s knowledge, allowing an attacker to enter the network easily and “invisibly.” Detecting and removing such unauthorized access points reduces the duration and likelihood of such devices being leveraged for an attack.#### Good Practice The size and complexity of an environment will dictate the appropriate tools and processes to be used to provide sufficient assurance that a rogue wireless access point has not been installed in the environment.
For example, performing a detailed physical inspection of a single stand-alone retail kiosk in a shopping mall, where all communication components are contained within tamper-resistant and tamper-evident casings, may be sufficient to provide assurance that a rogue wireless access point has not been attached or installed. However, in an environment with multiple nodes (such as in a large retail store, call center, server room or data center), detailed physical inspection can be difficult. In this case, multiple methods may be combined, such as performing physical system inspections in conjunction with the results of a wireless analyzer.
This is also referred to as rogue access point detection.
Methods that may be used include but are not limited to wireless network scans, physical/logical inspections of system components and infrastructure, network access control (NAC), or wireless IDS/IPS. NAC and wireless IDS/IPS are examples of automated monitoring tools.
An inventory of authorized wireless access points can help administrators quickly respond when unauthorized wireless access points are detected. This helps to proactively minimize the exposure of CDE to malicious individuals.
If using a wireless scanner, it is equally important to have a defined list of known access points which, while not attached to the company’s network, will usually be detected during a scan. These non-company devices are often found in multi-tenant buildings or businesses located near one another. However, it is important to verify that these devices are not connected to the entity’s network port or through another network- connected device and given an SSID resembling a nearby business. Scan results should note such devices and how it was determined that these devices could be “ignored.” In addition, detection of any unauthorized wireless access points that are determined to be a threat to the CDE should be managed following the entity’s incident response plan per Requirement 12.10.1.