Privacy and Security in Wireless Computing

✍ Scribed by John S Kakalik; Marie A Wright

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 195 KB
• Volume: 2000
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1353-4858
• DOI: 10.1016/s1353-4858(00)12018-5

✦ Synopsis

Currently, there are about eighty-nine million wireless subscribers in North America and 162 million in Europe. 1 By 2004, the numbers of wireless subscribers in North America and Europe are expected to surpass 190 million and 375 million, respectively.

As consumers demand more mobility and connectivity to keep pace with an expanded range of duties and competitive business pressures, 2 industry is responding by using insecure Internet technologies. In turn, the use of these technologies has increased the likelihood of successful attacks against systems, networks and data.

This article explores the privacy and security implications of wireless computing. It begins by treating the threats to system and data security and personal privacy that are exacerbated by wireless technology. It then identifies a security vulnerability in the Wireless Application Protocol. Next, the article presents a number of behavioral and technological controls that are designed to mitigate the impact of the security threats. It concludes with the need to implement effective data ownership and protection policies.

Threats

Wireless technology allows users to perform activities from remote locations that were once limited to their offices. E-mail, voice mail, Web browsing, file uploading and downloading, application access, and streaming media 2 are conducted through the use of mobile systems that are open, unprotected and insecure. It is now easier to threaten both systems and data. The threats occur with respect to confidentiality, integrity and availability.

Threats to Confidentiality and Integrity

The confidentiality and integrity of systems and data are compromized by unauthorized access. In the complex wireless environment, numerous alternatives exist for gaining unauthorized access to systems feature 12