It is becoming increasingly easy to hack into nearby computers at wireless hotspots.
This is according to wireless security solutions vendor AirDefense, which is now targeting the South African market.
AirDefense recently formed a partnership with SecureData to distribute its products in SA, a market identified as a key growth area in wireless security.
"A few years ago wireless network security was focused on how one secures access points, now it`s all about how one secures the end-points," says Anthony Perridge, international director of sales at AirDefense.
More and more people have confidential information on laptops and other remote devices, so wireless security is increasingly becoming an issue, he notes.
The emerging threats include 'evil twin` attacks involving the rerouting of a connection - such as a wireless hotspot connection - through a nearby laptop, wireless phishing, and packet-insertion into a LAN site using a wireless device, says Alf Sutherland, wireless security engineer for AirDefense.
"Lots of hotspots are unencrypted," he adds, "so it is easy for hackers to see exactly what is happening on nearby devices."
Sutherland says the rise in wireless hacking is partly due to hacking tools becoming more Windows-oriented.
"You don`t have to be a genius hacker anymore; lots of hacking tools are available on the Net," he explains.
Changing work processes
Many organisations express interest in finding ways for employees to work from home in order to increase productivity and save on costs associated with a physical office, says Perridge.
He also believes people increasingly expect wireless connectivity in places like hotels and business venues. "People expect to be able to connect anytime, anyplace, anywhere."
New solutions
AirDefense also revealed its latest invasion prevention strategies. AirDefense Enterprise version 7 helps to break the connection between unwanted devices and one`s own device, says Sutherland.
He adds that alongside alarm capabilities and wireless termination, rogue tracking facilities use sensors to identify the location of a rogue device to within 3m, and port suppression can be integrated with other LAN infrastructure to disable the port a rogue device is connected to.
AirDefense Personal protects the end-point, he claims, and is installed on laptops. "It can be customised to allow a company to set policies on how it will be used."
The two solutions, along with up-to-date anti-virus programs and a firewall, should provide comprehensive cover against wireless threats, he adds.
Share
