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378 Chapter 6 • Infrastructure Security: Devices and Media

network.Applying secure transmission protocols and configuring the wireless access
point to only accept authorized connections will also help in securing a network.

TEST DAY TIP
When taking the Security+ exam and working a wireless-related ques-
tion, keep in mind that wireless technology by itself is generally consid-
ered insecure. When a wireless network is set up, you are basically
handing a cable linked to your network to anyone with an antenna. The
Security+ exam expects you to know what can and should be done to
secure wireless connections. Pay close attention to Chapter 4 where
wireless security is discussed in detail.

Modems

With the popularity of broadband access, modems are becoming less necessary for
the average computer user; however, most systems still have modems installed and
many corporate systems still have modems in place for remote access.These devices
often provide a simple and unexpected method for an intruder to access systems.
Typically, remote access servers (RAS) and fax servers are common places for
modems to be located within a corporate network. Properly configured modems
are fairly secure; however, the users of a corporate network may have modems in
their PCs that they configure so they can dial in to remotely access their systems.
This is done when no other remote access solution has been provided or if they
feel that the existing remote access solution is inconvenient.These types of situa-
tions can provide an intruder with the perfect entry point to a network.The best
solution to this problem is to implement a security policy to control the installation
of modems on corporate systems, and to verify that those systems that need
modems are properly secure. (Security policies are covered in detail in Chapter 12,
“Operational and Organizational Security: Policies and Disaster Recovery.”) It is
also a good idea to audit this by using a war-dialing application (Exercise 6.01) to
scan corporate phone numbers to verify that no unexpected modems answer.A
walk-through audit of the corporate systems should also be done to verify that no
unauthorized modems have been installed.

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