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Companies Still Not Locking Up Wi-Fi Networks
from the where-are-the-IT-staffers? dept
After years of stories about problems with WiFi security, you would think that corporate IT staff would realize that they need to properly secure their WiFi networks. It doesn't take that much work to make it pretty difficult for someone to break into a wireless network. However, 80% of networks at companies tested around the world apparently showed no security. Many of the companies tested were large multi-national companies and banks, and they were just as bad at not protecting their networks. The numbers sound quite high, but if they're true, IT staffers deserve to be fired. Still, I'm a bit skeptical of the numbers, since they are from a "wireless security company" who has incentive to pump up the numbers.
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local schools aren't securing their networks eithe
A reporter for the local newspaper did a story recently about the Palo Alto school district's total lack of security on the network. For "ease of use" for the parent volunteers, it was left rather open with a public folder with lots of student-confidential information in it. The reporter sat on the bleechers and browsed confidential information.
When the story hit, school administration slammed the door shut, pissing off all the volunteers including the network administrator who could no longer do his job. But the damage was already done.
I personally think some staff should have been fired over this. But school districts being what they are, nothing else happened other than they now have no one professionally managing their systems or networks.
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Re: local schools aren't securing their networks e
If the network admin could not do his job WITHOUT a wide open network, then he's not qualified to be a network administrator.
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its not all that surprising
what surprises me is the degree to which viruses are still spreading. the people reading their email are still not aware that an email from riun4er3v@bigdeal.com with an attachment of instructions.zip is probably worth simply deleting.
i realize that alot malicious code comes in other forms that are not as easily noticed, but there are still alot of naive users out there.
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No Subject Given
another source that probably adds to that percentage:
I just found out our network group did an audit and they found 3 wide open wireless networks THEY didn't know about.
They culprits were 3 VPs in different areas hooking up a wireless AP to their desk connections so they could "roam" with their laptops.
According to my grumbling gossiper in networking, none of them will allow them to take them down so they are forced to set them up for encryption and support them.
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Re: No Subject Given
I agree... I'll bet that's where those 'big company' figures came from. Kind of like GoToMy(frick'n)PC, doesn't matter what your policies are, people will work around them.
There are times when users may need to be fired if you're going to be firing the IT people.
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