How Network Access Control Systems Secure Wireless Networks Against Modern Threats

By Dmitriy Aminov, Defensible Technology

In February 2022, Russian state-backed hackers infiltrated the network of a company based in Washington DC that was doing Ukraine-related work. How did they do it? Despite being thousands of miles away, the attackers executed what is known as a “Nearest Neighbor Attack”.

By first compromising a nearby organization within the Wi-Fi range of their target, the hackers gained access to a dual-home device connected to both networks. This allowed them to pivot into the target company’s enterprise Wi-Fi network, bypassing traditional defenses and escalating their attack.

This is not an isolated incident. Modern cybercriminals use sophisticated and creative methods that can exploit your infrastructure from many angles, including wireless connections.

In this article, I will explain how Network Access Control (NAC) systems can serve as a critical defense against modern wireless attacks that are becoming increasingly common.

Main challenges in wireless network security

Wireless networks are now widely used across corporate environments thanks to their flexibility for employees and devices. But their convenience comes with an expense.

The main problem is that wireless networks extend beyond the physical boundaries of an office, making them inherently more exposed. Attackers no longer need to be inside a building to attempt a breach—they can exploit weak points from nearby locations or even remotely, as demonstrated in the "Nearest Neighbor Attack."

Additionally, wireless networks rely on credentials for access, which are rarely strong enough and can easily be obtained, either from previous breaches, or with password spraying.

What is a Network Access Control system?

A Network Access Control (NAC) system is a security solution designed to regulate and manage access to an organization's network, ensuring that only authorized and compliant devices can connect.

At its core, a NAC system operates on three fundamental principles:

Authentication: Verifies the identity of users and devices attempting to connect to the network. This process often integrates with tools like Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and directory services to ensure legitimacy.
Compliance: Ensures that devices meet the organization’s security policies before granting access. For instance, a NAC system can check whether a device has the latest patches, or an approved operating system.
Authorization: Controls the level of access granted to authenticated devices based on predefined roles or policies. This segmentation minimizes risks by ensuring that even legitimate users can only access the resources relevant to their role.

Key features of a NAC system

NAC systems come with several key features that make it an effective solution for safeguarding wireless networks:

Policy lifecycle management: A NAC system can independently enforce access policies for all operating scenarios. The policies can be adjusted to dynamically adapt to different user roles, device types, and network conditions.

Profiling and visibility: As soon as a device attempts to connect to the network, the system will recognize and profile the device, identifying its type, operating system, and security posture, as well as associating it with the user attempting to connect. This level of visibility is essential for identifying suspicious devices.

Guest networking access: NAC systems come with mechanisms that allow guests (contractors, business partners, etc.) to connect to the network securely. Guests are also subject to role-based permissions, which should be more restrictive in this case.

Security posture check: Since NAC systems have deep insight into the users and devices that connect to the network, they can quickly detect if a device or user fails to meet the organization's security policies, such as lacking the latest updates or running unapproved software.

Incident response: With its ability to block, isolate, and repair noncompliant machines, NAC systems can even come with incident response mechanisms that don’t require administrator attention.

Bidirectional integration: NAC systems seamlessly Integrate with other security and network solutions through the open/RESTful API. These include firewalls, endpoint protection platforms, and SIEMs. All of these tools exchange data to maximize visibility and network security.

What this means for your network security

The capabilities that NAC brings to the table fit perfectly with the vulnerable nature of wireless networks.

Organizations can enjoy superior control over who, what, and when can access their network, with the ability to enforce security policies and monitor connected devices in real-time.

The role-based access permissions and ability to monitor connected devices are the perfect combination to mitigate risks associated with unauthorized access and lateral movement within the network.

Even if an attacker gains entry, their actions are restricted, closely monitored, and quickly neutralized

Implementing NAC into your organization

A NAC deployment can significantly improve wireless and general corporate cybersecurity and compliance, providing much needed visibility and control over network access requests.

Here is a step-by-step process you can follow to effectively implement this solution into your technology stack:

Define requirements

The first step is to identify what you aim to achieve with NAC based on your security needs. This could be improving threat detection, enforce policies, or reduce unauthorized access.

Develop policies

Since NAC solutions run on policies that determine which request to accept or deny, you need to define these policies in alignment with the requirements and business goals set out in the previous step.

Select the right NAC solution

There are several excellent NAC solutions on the market. While they all offer similar core functionalities, the right choice depends on your organization’s specific needs and infrastructure. Some factors to consider are scalability, and ability to integrate with your existing tools.

Test with a pilot deployment

Before a full-scale implementation, conduct a pilot deployment to identify potential issues and refine configurations. You can do this by selecting a subset of your network with manageable traffic and devices to test the NAC system.

Full deployment

Once the pilot deployment is successful, proceed with rolling out the NAC solution across your entire organization.

Zero Trust: Taking network security a step further

In addition to NAC, Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) is another technology that we regularly implement to help clients security their corporate networks.

Unlike NAC systems, which focus on authenticating and authorizing devices and users during initial access, Zero Trust ensures that these validations are ongoing. It operates on the principle of “Never Trust, Always Verify”,

Every user, device, and application is treated as a potential threat, requiring continuous authentication and strict access control regardless of location.

NAC and Zero Trust work great together

Both of these technologies can be implemented together to create a robust, layered security framework.

NAC provides the foundation by enforcing strict access controls at the point of entry, while Zero Trust builds on this by continuously monitoring and validating access.

How Defensible Technology Can Help

Defensible Technology is experienced in guiding organizations in implementing complex technical solutions, including firewalls, NAC systems, and ZTNA. Our experts:

Assess your needs to determine the best approach for your network
Deploy a NAC systems that seamlessly integrates with your current infrastructure
Train your team to make sure you make the most out of your investment
Ongoing support with continuous monitoring and updates to keep the system effective

Ready to secure your network with a robust NAC solution? Contact Defensible Technology today to start your journey toward stronger network security.