Wireless (Wi-Fi) Security

 

Research has shown that SMBs are increasingly turning to Wi-Fi to fulfill their networking needs. As Wi-Fi networks increase in popularity, so do the risks associated with their use. Wi-Fi is easy to set-up and use out of the box but requires careful attention to security. Wi-Fi signals, by their very nature, can be easily intercepted. Signal interception by itself is not a problem. Problems arise when the information moving back and forth on a Wi-Fi network is not encrypted. In this case, signal interception means access to data that, at certain times, may be of a very private and critical nature.

 

Another phenomenon occurring with increasing frequency is the "free" use of a Wi-Fi network by unauthorized individuals outside the organization. If a Wi-Fi network is not properly set-up, individuals within close proximity of the location will be able to make unauthorized use of the network bandwidth. Any such use, which might be of potentially illegal and unlawful nature, will then be attributed to the owner of the network.

 

Finally, it does not occur to many that once some unauthorized person hacks into a Wi-Fi network, that person (read, hacker) is inside the company network and can potentially access data that resides on computers and servers. Such compromises may never be discovered and the potential harm that may result could destroy a business. This and the above problems make it imperative to secure Wi-Fi networks.