Wi-fi security left out in the cold

Businesses are failing to secure their wi-fi and VoIP networks adequately, leaving themselves open to growing security threats.

IT body the National Computing Centre (NCC) is warning that although organisations are addressing IT security generally, through virus protection, spam blocking and firewalls, newer technologies are being neglected.

Security from A to Z

Click on the links below to find out more...

A is for Antivirus
B is for Botnets
C is for CMA
D is for DDoS
E is for Extradition
F is for Federated identity
G is for Google
H is for Hackers
I is for IM
J is for Jaschan (Sven)
K is for Kids
L is for Love Bug
M is for Microsoft
N is for Neologisms
O is for Orange
P is for Passwords
Q is for Questions
R is for Rootkits
S is for Spyware
T is for Two-factor authentication
U is for USB sticks/devices
V is for Virus variants
W is for Wi-fi
X is for OS X
Y is for You
Z is for Zero-day

The NCC research found 40 per cent of respondents either haven't secured their wireless network at all or have done so only partially. Just 15 per cent have VoIP security in place.

VoIP networks are potentially open to phishing (or 'vishing'), spam and denial of service attacks and could be increasingly targeted by hackers according to the NCC.

Stefan Foster, managing director of the NCC, warned wi-fi networks are attracting a growing amount of attention from fraudsters. He compared running unsecured wi-fi to locking the front door in a house but leaving the windows open.

Companies are more alert to the risks posed by high capacity USB sticks and three-quarters of respondents said they recognise the liability around the devices. But only 11 per cent have actually introduced controls on their use.

Despite the internal security threat from employees a quarter of respondents dismissed formal security training as not relevant.

The research also found close to two-thirds (60 per cent) of organisations employ IT staff dedicated to security, although these tend to be larger companies.

The research is part of the NCC Benchmark of IT Strategy 2007 report which looks at current trends in IT strategy in 190 end user organisations.