OXFORD, United Kingdom-Following the acquisition in March of wireless local are network (WLAN) operators Megastream and Munich-based WLAN, fixed-line carrier Swisscom, which now has more than 800 WLAN access points, has linked with Nomadix to hasten the deployment of more 802.11b hot spots.
In what is now claimed to be the largest pan-European public WLAN network, Swisscom is aiming to provide a high-speed data service in all the major cities across Europe. By using the Nomadix system, the company claimed it will be able to provide subscribers with instant roaming capabilities, while retaining one billing relationship.
However, concerns about the corporate use of WLAN continue to heighten as the technology’s security weaknesses remain in question. To graphically prove the point, the consultancy firm KPMG set up three “honey pot” WLAN access points in London in an attempt to attract and understand the level of security threat.
The firm claimed that between three and four attempts were made each day to access each hot spot-mainly during rush hour periods-with the majority being from amateur hackers looking to pinpoint a vulnerability. However, 16 percent of the hackers actually accessed the network, with 75 percent of these appearing to have malicious intentions.
If this worry is insufficient, the American Bar Association has issued a warning that WLAN could be the next big piracy tool, because it allows multiple people unauthorized access to broadband connections. An additional concern is the amount of likely litigation if copyrighted material is accessed illegally. A white paper produced by the association has been roundly condemned by WLAN experts as being “clueless.”
