Rogue access point detection is the process of identifying unauthorized wireless access points connected to an organization's network. Rogue APs may be installed by employees seeking convenience, planted by attackers for network infiltration, or operated by neighboring businesses causing interference. Detection involves continuous wireless spectrum monitoring, wired-side detection, and correlation analysis to identify and locate unauthorized wireless infrastructure.
Rogue AP detection employs multiple complementary methods. Wireless Intrusion Prevention Systems (WIPS) use dedicated sensors or dual-purpose access points to continuously scan all wireless channels, identifying access points that are not in the authorized inventory. Wired-side detection monitors switch ports for characteristics of access points, such as multiple MAC addresses behind a single port or bridge protocol traffic patterns. SNMP-based monitoring queries switches for MAC address tables that reveal unauthorized devices bridging wireless and wired networks. Fingerprinting techniques identify the hardware vendor, firmware version, and configuration of detected APs to distinguish between managed, neighbor, and rogue devices. Location triangulation using signal strength measurements from multiple sensors pinpoints the physical location of detected rogues. Automated response capabilities can contain rogue APs by sending deauthentication frames to prevent client connections, though this raises legal considerations in some jurisdictions.
A single rogue access point can bypass the entire wired network security infrastructure, providing attackers with wireless access directly into internal network segments. Rogue APs installed by well-meaning employees typically lack security hardening, encryption, and monitoring. Malicious rogue APs planted by attackers can harvest credentials and serve as persistent backdoors. Without active detection, organizations remain unaware of these unauthorized entry points into their network.
CDA positions rogue AP detection within the Threat Intelligence and Defense domain. Our missions deploy wireless monitoring capabilities, conduct site surveys to identify existing rogues, establish detection baselines, and implement automated alerting and containment workflows that respond to unauthorized wireless infrastructure.