Guidelines for Securing Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) SP 800-153

NIST announces the final release of Special Publication (SP) 800-153, Guidelines for Securing Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). The purpose of this publication is to provide organizations with recommendations for improving the security configuration and monitoring of their IEEE 802.11 wireless local area networks (WLANs) and their devices connecting to those networks. Recommendations in SP 800-153 cover topics such as standardized WLAN security configurations, dual connected WLAN client devices, and security assessments and continuous monitoring. This publication supplements, and does not replace, other NIST publications on WLAN security.  

Executive Summary 
A wireless local area network (WLAN) is a group of wireless networking devices within a limited geographic area, such as an office building, that exchange data through radio communications. WLAN technologies are based on the IEEE 802.11 standard and its amendments.1 The fundamental components of an IEEE 802.11 WLAN (hereafter referred to as a "WLAN" in this publication) are client devices, such as laptops and smartphones, and access points (APs), which logically connect client devices with a distribution system, typically the organization’s wired network infrastructure. Some WLANs also use wireless switches, which act as intermediaries between APs and the distribution system. 

Download - February 21, 2012