Credit card payments on mobile devices, enhanced mobility, and Wi-Fi calls are the bright prospects of wireless Internet. However, numerous new risks are emerging alongside this breakthrough.
A wireless world is taking shape, and it is still unstable. As we accelerate communication during peak times, it’s inevitable that we will encounter an onslaught of advertising and commercial services over wireless networks.
Risks
First and foremost, there is the risk of digital hackers. This issue has been steadily increasing over the past decade as more personal information is stored on mobile devices and wired Internet connections. Now, wireless Internet adds another layer of complexity to this chaos.
On October 26, the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, USA, launched its Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) service, making it the largest mobile Internet access point in the United States. Anyone with a laptop can easily connect to the global Internet. Although expert Kirsten Tagami stated that users could feel secure while accessing the network due to the presence of firewalls and additional security measures, the risks remain high, especially since many users of commercial connections know very little about these software operations and techniques.
At any wireless Internet access point, users can also be “exposed” to security risks. This is why earlier this year, the cybersecurity company AirDefence planned to focus on this vulnerability by testing the weak points of wireless access points. In their cybersecurity enhancement campaign, AirDefence experts can easily log onto the wireless network of a hotel or company and exploit parameters during email exchanges. They can also infiltrate any internal communication systems whenever a user accesses them.
Staying continuously connected is a hallmark of the information technology age, and mobile devices are not merely tools for exchanging information; they have become a confidant for many individuals. They store a wealth of information about their owners and their contacts, from credit card numbers and bank accounts to personal details of friends and family. However, hackers can easily infiltrate and steal this information.
Solutions
The answer can be summed up in three words: design, regulate, and educate.
Security measures that customers can easily manipulate should be meticulously designed and readily available on any wireless-connected device. This is crucial for cybersecurity solution designers. For instance, BellSouth recently launched several wireless services at select access points in Georgia, USA. Their high-speed wireless Internet project is also targeting the New Orleans area, where the infrastructure has been severely challenged for wired Internet following Hurricane Katrina. Importantly, BellSouth aims to address security concerns in various ways, such as applying advanced technology to transmit data directly from customers’ computers to BellSouth’s main management stations, using unique identification codes for registered users, and producing specialized equipment designed exclusively for the BellSouth network.
Finally, it is equally important to advise wireless network providers and customers about these risks. There is also great hope for an action plan aimed at controlling security risks for wireless Internet, as a summit on wireless cybersecurity is scheduled to take place at the Georgia Information Security Technology Center on November 15…
D.Nguyen Hung
