Identification of Unauthorized or Misconfigured Wireless Access Point Using Distributed Endpoints

A method for identifying unauthorized and/or misconfigured wireless access points (WAPs) in a communication network includes the steps of: an agent running on an endpoint in the communication network locating one or more WAPs in the communication network; the agent reporting at least one located WAP to a central entity; and the central entity performing steps of applying prescribed criteria to determine whether the located WAP needs to be probed, and initiating active probing of the located WAP when it is determined that the located WAP needs to be probed to thereby determine whether the located WAP is unauthorized and/or misconfigured.