Meru Networks has introduced RF Barrier, a solution for wardriving threat that uses wireless technology itself to produce a barrier to protect corporate wireless networks.

The RF Barrier system involves mounting a specialized Wireless Access Point on the inside Wireless perimeter with an advanced antenna extending to the outside of the Wireless perimeter. The technology inspects the traffic in real time to differentiate the “sensitive” (internal) traffic from the outside traffic. Sensitive traffic is protected by the RF Barrier by simultaneously transmitting harmless, but stronger RF waves through the external antenna. The stronger RF waves in turn degrade the sensitive traffic outside the internal wireless perimeter, leaving the wardrivers with very weak or no signals to work with.

The official press release states:

RF Barrier is the first solution using exclusively 802.11 technology to offer wireless perimeter protection for organizations with regulatory requirements or policies regarding data privacy, such as retailers, financial and government institutions, manufacturers and health-care organizations.  RF Barrier protects clients with legacy security mechanisms, such as handhelds and scanners equipped only with WEP or WPA/TKIP, as well as modern WPA2- and EAP-based networks, where it helps prevent the exposure of potentially exploitable information such as user identities.  Furthermore, it provides physical wireless security in remote branch offices where no IT personnel are present to detect or stop an attack from outside the site’s physical boundaries.

RF Barrier will be available for retail in September 2008, with starter kits expected to sell for US$3,595 that will consist of four APs, advanced antennas and cables along with software licenses. Full support for 802.11n-based is expected in the future as the present system does not support blocking 802.11n beacons.

Personally, I think the cost is going to limit the deployment figures for the system as a number of alternatives exist, such as RF shielding techniques that can be achieved by using paint, metal foils as wallpapers or even windows and doors! The application of these techniques, of course, depends entirely on the nature of the business.

For a typical small business, simply reducing the transmission power and positioning of the Wireless Access Point (and directional antenna if available) will go a long way in reducing the number of RF waves spreading outside the private space.