HAWTHORNE, N.Y., June 17, 2002 -- IBM Research has demonstrated the industry's first self- diagnostic tool that can automatically monitor 802.11 wireless networks and report security problems in real-time. The Distributed Wireless Security Auditor (DWSA), which runs on desktop and laptop computers, can monitor wireless network security and report to the central back-end servers minute by minute, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
IBM researchers introduced its first version, the Wireless Security Auditor (WSA) last summer, which runs on a small wireless PDA running Linux. IBM Global Services quickly developed a specific services offering that deploys software tools, including the WSA, to help customers safeguard and perform risk assessments of their wireless networks. Researchers have now extended the tool, making it more autonomic by adding self-sensor and self-diagnosis features. Running as a lightweight process on wireless clients in an enterprise, DWSA can quickly report wireless infrastructure security issues to system administrators. http://linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2002-06-17-008-26-NW-NT