AirMagnet Handheld also functions as a spectrum analyzer and wireless network management tool. This suite of tools operating on a Pocket PC sniffs out rogue APs and intruders who use NetStumbler, a free Windows utility that can be used by 'drive-by snoopers' to exploit unsecured APs. Vendor: AirMagnet Inc., Mountain View, Calif.

These APs report sniffing results back to a central database, which contains a list of authorized APs. The networked system requires installation of dedicated APs around a building perimeter to constantly monitor wireless traffic. This tool is available as either a portable 'walk-around sniffer' or a networked system. IBM expects to move the auditor from lab to market in a matter of months. In simple terms, a Wi-Fi analyzer or scanner gathers information about access points and channels on your network and displays it in an easy-to-understand, visually accessible way. The database matches sniffed APs with a list of authorized devices, pinpointing rogues or intruders. The Wi-Fi analyzer then examines the spectrum to view networks, their channels, and signal strength. The Distributed Wireless Security Auditor uses clients as sensors, running a Linux program that sniffs out APs and sends that information back to a database installed on a notebook or PC. IBM Distributed Wireless Security Auditor Here are three tools for detecting wireless LAN access points (AP) that haven't been secured by the IT department:

Linux wifi spectrum analyzer