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COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO WI-FI SECURITY IS NEEDED, |
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Friday, 19 January 2007 |
The Wi-Fi Alliance announced this week that it is to launch an optional industry certification to simplify the way consumers can secure their wireless networks. The initiative, Wi-Fi Protected Setup, is based on a specification developed by Wi-Fi Alliance member companies to provide an industry-standard approach to ease the setup of Wi-Fi networks and encourage consumers to always enable security features.
This is a positive step forward in promoting the wide-spread adoption of wireless networks, but will consumers notice the difference and will they welcome the need for yet another PIN to access information? Telindus’ head of innovation, James Walker, has his doubts:
“I applaud the Wi-Fi Alliance’s initiative and support it whole-heartedly. However, will the domestic digital consumer require such security? The typical consumer purchases Wi-Fi kit from service providers, such as BT or HomeChoice, and these units have pre-installed security functions. For the average domestic user, this is more than adequate to secure their network from prying eyes and to stop other users stealing their bandwidth. Come on, do you really need to have an uber secure network to play Xbox 360 Live?!”
“I think the Wi-Fi Protected Setup will come into its own for the remote worker. In this environment, where critical data is being transmitted over cyberspace (usually via a VPN), the need to ensure network integrity is imperative. The WI-Fi Protected Setup will complement existing AAA and data encryption measures to ensure security, and businesses should analyse the benefits brought by the certification and install policies to ensure widespread adoption,” added Walker.
“In the meantime, the domestic user should use common sense to make sure that their passwords are kept up to date and that they do not transmit sensitive data (such as bank account details) via email.”
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