A method for monitoring a selected region of an airspace associated with
local area networks of computing devices is provided. The method includes
providing one or more segments of a legacy local area network to be
protected in a selected geographic region. The legacy local area network
is characterized by an unsecured airspace within the selected geographic
region. The method includes determining a security policy associated with
the one or more segments of the legacy local area network. The security
policy at least characterizes a type of wireless activity in the
unsecured airspace to be permitted, denied, or ignored. Additionally, the
method includes connecting one or more sniffer devices into the legacy
local area network. The one or more sniffer devices are spatially
disposed within the selected geographic region to cause at least a
portion of the unsecured airspace to be secured according to the security
policy. Moreover, the method includes coupling a security appliance to
the legacy local area network. The method also includes determining if at
least one of the sniffer devices is coupled to each of the one or more
segments of the legacy local area network to be protected and determining
if the one or more sniffer devices substantially covers the portion of
the unsecured airspace to be secured. The method additionally includes
monitoring wireless activity in the airspace using the one or more
sniffer devices, and automatically classifying, using a classification
process, a portion of information associated with the monitoring of the
wireless activity to at least determine if the wireless activity
communicates to at least one of the one or more segments to be protected.
Further, the method includes detecting a violation of the security policy
based upon at least the classifying of the portion of the information
from the monitoring of the wireless activity, and automatically
processing an action associated with the violation in accordance to the
security policy for the one or more segments in the legacy local area
network to be protected.