Siemens launches new WLAN security solution

Siemens today announced a new WLAN security platform that the vendor claims distinguishes itself from the competition by creating an RF barrier to all external access points.

Called the HiPath Wireless Manager Advanced the software extension takes an exclusive rather inclusive approach to wireless security, said Luc Roy, Vice President of product planning and marketing at Siemens. Most WLAN architectures stop intrusions into the network by identifying rogue access points and then shutting them down by either blocking IP access to them on the wired network or bombarding them with denial of service attacks if they are connected off the corporate LAN. The problem with that approach, Roy said, is a denial of service attack takes system and RF resources and while ongoing can leave the network open to other intrusions. HiPath solves the problem of rogue access points by simply ignoring them, Roy said.

The HiPath manager insures that a device on the network will only establish a link a with an approved AP, basically creating a closed RF network, or as Roy terms it “a shield around your RF.” Any unauthorized access point simply won’t register on the network, and a company laptop or terminal won’t even try to authenticate with it, Roy said.

“We’re indifferent to the rogue AP,” Roy said. “We’re never going to let anyone associate with them.”

The HiPath manager is powered by software from AirTight Networks, a wireless perimeter solutions company in which Siemens has invested, and is part of Siemens growing WLAN and VoIP over WLAN portfolio. Roy said that aside from the AirTight partnership Siemens is the only company aside from Cisco Systems that has built an in-house end-to-end voice over WLAN solution from terminals to network controllers. That expertise is reflected in its recent contracts. While Siemens is only in the single digit market share for WLAN networks, Roy said that 40% of its WLAN customers are deploying voice solutions over its infrastructure, establishing Siemens as a leader in the field. “It’s definitely a sweet spot for us,” Roy said.