Students warn of hacking threat
Three Brisbane university students have discovered a major flaw in wireless network technology that means hackers can bring down critical infrastructure in as little as five seconds.
The finding, which is likely to have worldwide ramifications - was identified by the Queensland University of Technology's Information Security Research Centre.
Wireless technology is booming in popularity because it allows for access to the Internet without the need for cables and it is also used in some countries - but not Australia - to control infrastructure such as railways and electricity.
Associate Professor Mark Looi, the deputy head of QUT's School of Software Engineering and Data Communications, said the discovery should send a warning to government and industry worldwide.
"Any organisation that continues to use the standard wireless technology (IEEE 802.11b) to operate critical infrastructure could be considered negligent," Professor Looi said.
"This wireless technology should not be used for any critical applications, as the results could potentially be very serious."
