Wi-Fi dangers must be tackled by the board
Senior directors now have no choice but to ensure that their businesses address security vulnerabilities in their Wi-Fi-enabled PCs and laptops, Capgemini will tell delegates at Infosecurity Europe this week. Over the past year, businesses have bought tens of thousands of PCs with Wi-Fi capabilities that have the potential to open holes in their corporate defences, said Andy Mullholand, Capgemini's global chief technology officer. The introduction of corporate governance rules leaves directors with no alternative but to take responsibility for Wi-Fi security.
"The genie is already out of the bottle. It is not just a case of asking whether we should have a security strategy but of solving the problem that you already have. It is not a case of wondering about return on investment, but solving a real problem," said Mullholand.
Without adequate security, Wi-Fi networks can put sensitive data at risk from hackers and leave networks exposed to viruses. But until now, senior managers have failed to understand the impact that Wi-Fi could have on their organisations, said Mullholand.