The Security Trends report, published by the University of
Purdue's Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance
and Security (Cerias), identifies improved productivity and cost
reduction as the main drives for adoption of wireless networks.
The authors of the report warn, however, that wireless networks
do not depend on 'physical' protections and it is therefore more
difficult to prevent crime and ensure the privacy of data
transmitted on such networks.
According to the report, the fact that wireless technologies
create more interconnections means increased security risks, as
security vulnerabilities in one network mean that all others
connected to it are also at risk.
The report does, however, recommend a number of best practices
to be adopted when deploying wireless security.
At the same time as the report, security company Defcom
conducted a survey of 20 senior IT security managers of high street
banks and financial institutions in London earlier this month and
also found that wireless usage is increasing.
Of the managers surveyed, 50% said that they were looking to
deploy a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) within the next 12
months. The majority of the sample appeared to be optimistic about
the security of WLAN equipment, with 90% believing that it will be
as secure as existing local area networks within the next three to
five years.
Despite this, 60% of the managers questioned admitted that the
main barrier to WLAN growth is still the perceived lack of security
and 80% said they did not trust the manufacturers of WLAN solutions
to provide security expertise.
The Cerias Security Trends report can be found at:
www.cerias.purdue.edu/news_and_events/
events/securitytrends/2002_full_security_report.pdf
