Wireless has its pros, but is not without security implications

Wireless local area networks (WLANs) bring true mobility to the business arena. It allows users to move from area to area while maintaining connectivity and offers a variety of business benefits driven by this user convenience. Other significant drivers of the technology include increased ability to transact business and immediacy of information.

Organisations that have so far embraced wireless technology and applied it to their business, have seen tangible results such as increased sales, improved customer service, a strong competitive advantage and, important for the financials, rapid return on investment.

For all these reasons, predicted growth in the WLAN market is from $2.4 billion to $5.2 billion by 2005.

However, according to Chris Davis, executive at NamITrust, the enterprise security division within NamITech, WLANs have distinct security implications for organisations. "It is exceptionally difficult to control physical access to a WLAN," say Davis. "They can be purchased and deployed with minimal cost and effort, possibly by individual departments that have not consulted with the IT department. Of course, this runs the risk of creating vulnerabilities on the overall security perimeter."

In addition, security weaknesses inherent in the WLAN protocols make a corporate network susceptible to any number of possible attacks. Should an organisation experience a malicious attack on its WLAN, it faces a compromise of information integrity and loss of customer faith.

Because of the above factors, it is critical that attention is paid to the security around WLANs. "Organisations need to seriously consider the vulnerabilities and additional security features required to make the basic WLAN specifications more secure and usable for the organisation," continues Davis.