RSM Resources

Ken Clipperton, managing director of University Information Services at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa, says the university is proof that, with careful planning and design, midsized organizations can safely and effectively implement wireless technology.

In 2000, Buena Vista University became the nation’s first completely wireless campus. Each of the school’s 1,700 users can access information from virtually any spot on campus using school-issued laptops.

School officials recently hired a firm to audit their network security. And they regularly evaluate and update security protocols as well as offer user-awareness training to ensure students and faculty know how to keep their data safe, Clipperton says.

"I would not paint a target on my chest and say we aren’t hackable," he says, "but we believe we are taking reasonable measures."

From college campuses to entire cities, wireless technology is here to stay, and it may be a dream come true for midsized companies looking to boost efficiency and reduce infrastructure costs. But it also can be a nightmare for companies that fail to learn the technology’s potential perils or safeguard themselves and their employees from possible dangers.

In less than 15 years, wireless technology has gone from fanciful fiction to pervasive reality, prompting executives at many midsized companies to re-evaluate their ideas about accessibility, mobility and infrastructure management.

Forrester Research recently determined that the retail, health-care and manufacturing industries have been among the earliest and most eager adopters of wireless local area network (WLAN) technology, while many other industries have yet to fully embrace it. However, the researchers predict that 75 percent of North American enterprises will be using or evaluating WLANs for their own use by the end of 2006.

Even if you never plan to implement wireless networks within your company, don’t be fooled into thinking you don’t need to understand wireless technology. Most new laptops and wireless electronic devices come preprogrammed to automatically access any available wireless network with little or no configuration. Experts warn that, without proper safeguards, these "wireless-ready" computers and electronic devices could inadvertently open a doorway for outsiders and evildoers to mine personal information, access sensitive data, and damage vital systems and files.

The marketplace has a wide range of wireless-ready devices available, and the number of wireless access points, or "hotspots," also is growing rapidly. In addition to the myriad of coffee shops and airports that already offer "WiFi" wireless access,many cities are implementing "muniwireless," or wireless systems that encompass an entire municipality. Major cities implementing muniwireless include Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Seattle.

Along with convenient, easy access comes increased risk. Not all public access points are equally secure. Indeed, some wireless networks have been put in place simply to lure unsuspecting users and compromise their data.

Since it’s virtually impossible to hide from the wireless phenomenon for long, experts advise arming yourself and your employees with as much information as possible. The following information will help you understand the benefits of going wireless to your midsized company as well as offer common-sense tips to thwart potential security threats before they become a problem.

The case for wireless
The advent of wireless technology has prompted a paradigm shift for midsized companies, especially those with mobile employees or flexible systems.

Some of the key benefits of wireless technology include:

• Increased efficiency. Going wireless means instant access to people and information from virtually anywhere, anytime. While this kind of unbounded accessibility may be more of a "con" than a "pro" for some, for mobile employees, remote workers or those who travel extensively, wireless can mean the difference between competitive viability and obsolescence.
• Increased flexibility. Wireless devices can simplify tasks that were once arduous or impossible. Such tasks include changing your multilocation network setup, reworking your manufacturing floor layout, or communicating with clients from airport lounges or beachside lounge chairs.
• Cost savings. While implementing wireless technology won’t automatically save you money, it’s the clear financial winner where running wires would be prohibitively expensive.

Protecting yourself in a wireless world
Wireless security has come a long way in its short lifetime. These days, most experts agree it’s possible to implement wireless networks that are at least as safe as wired ones. But ensuring the safety of your company’s information within the boundaries of your own wireless network and in the outside world requires careful security analysis and design from your IT experts. That includes watchfulness and caution from all company technology users.

Use the tips below to help protect yourself and your employees from wireless security threats both in the office and on the road:

• Assess existing wireless devices in your company. These devices come in all forms: from cell phones, to laptops, to personal digital assistants (PDAs), to security cameras, to computer mice and keyboards — and you must evaluate each to determine potential risks and available safeguards.
• Write and enforce a policy covering the use of wireless technology. Should you enable or disable wireless functions on employee laptops? What information may be stored or transferred using cell phones or PDAs? Financial institutions and other regulated industries especially must weigh the convenience of using wireless technology against the risks of security breaches and heightened scrutiny in an audit.
• Conduct awareness training for your employees, especially those who travel extensively. Make sure mobile users know to steer clear of unknown networks whenever possible, disconnect from any network as soon as they are done working, and wait until they have an encrypted or landline connection before sending any sensitive data.

At Buena Vista University, having a wireless campus has produced some unexpected benefits. For example, it has proven to be a huge recruitment tool among faculty, Clipperton says. From the fall the network went live, he says, the number of responses to open faculty positions has tripled.

After nearly six years in a wireless environment, Clipperton says it’s hard to imagine not having wireless access.

"No one here wants to go back to the way things were," he says. "No one."