Penetration Testing of Wireless Networks

Abstract

This thesis illustrates the security measures and mechanisms behind the encryption and decryption of data while transmitting data in a wireless network. Furthermore, this thesis describes and demonstrates several security threats in a wireless network that are widely experienced. It also explains shortly the evolution of the widely implemented IEEE 802.11 standard and its amendments. Kali Linux tools were used to perform a penetration test in a WPA secured test network. Information on the target network was gathered and monitored and after a vulnerability analysis attacking and cracking tools from Kali Linux were used in to order to penetrate the test network. After a series of tests and attacks, the security measures of the network were bypassed and confidential information on the network was successfully stolen. This thesis has demonstrated how a WPA secured network can be cracked simply with the help of Kali tools. The results and operational understanding of the WPA secured network can be useful in further revealing vulnerabilities within wireless networks to help make them safer.