Contributed by Organizations or Campuses; Articles, Papers, and Reports; and WLAN
So Much for Good Intentions
| Title: | So Much for Good Intentions (ID: CSD4608) | | Author(s): | Elia Powers | | Origin: | Contributed by Organizations or Campuses (2006) | | Type: | Articles, Papers, and Reports | | Abstract: | A planned rollout of wireless Internet service by Bowdoin College to the residents of in Brunswick, Maine, has been halted, at least temporarily, due to concerns over the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA). The FCC has said that the law, which mandates law enforcement access to communications systems, should apply to network operators, including colleges and universities. Higher education has opposed that decision, saying it would be extremely costly for them to comply and that there are other ways for institutions to cooperate with law enforcement. Following legal action and lobbying, a court allowed an exception for "private" networks.Bowdoin, which is in Brunswick, had been working to implement a wireless network in the city for students and town residents. Saying that it isn't clear whether allowing town residents to access the network would compromise its being a "private" network, officials from the college have decided that the network will only be available to students. Mitch Davis, CIO at Bowdoin, noted that the plan to open the network to everyone in town is currently suspended, not dead. | | View this resource: | |
'Evil Twin' Fear for Wireless Net
| Title: | 'Evil Twin' Fear for Wireless Net (ID: CSD3679) | | Origin: | Contributed by Organizations or Campuses (2005) | | Type: | Articles, Papers, and Reports | | Abstract: | Researchers at Britain's Cranfield University are warning users of wireless computing devices about bogus Wi-Fi access points that can steal personal information. The so-called evil twin hotspots are set up near existing access points, where they can hijack signals sent between wireless devices and legitimate access points. Dr. Phil Nobles, a expert on cybercrime and wireless technology at Cranfield, said, "Because wireless networks are based on radio signals, they can be easily detected by unauthorized users tuning into the same frequency."Security experts said that setting up adequate protections for access points, as well as installing personal firewalls on wireless devices, can prevent users from being victimized by the unauthorized hotspots. | | View this resource: | |
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