network security

Always-on security

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 06:59:58 -0500

Laptop computers and 3G networks have joined forces to bring anywhere Internet connectivity to the enterprise world. Unfortunately, while the combination has created significant productivity enhancements for mobile professionals, it has brought significant security concerns, as well. Now, Alcatel-Lucent is delivering a product suite, OmniAccess 3500 Laptop Guardian, that has been brought to market by Sprint-Nextel, with the goal of using the same 3G network to provide always-on security and fleet management for corporate laptops. A PC Card with a self-contained computer and constant network access protects the computer and can receive patches and downloads, even when the laptop computer is turned off. When the technology can provide a bit of safety along with productivity, the market is making steps in the right direction.

For more on the new Alcatel-Lucent 24/7 security:
- Read the product news at WirelessWeek

Choices large and small

Sun, 08 Apr 2007 20:01:39 -0400

It's all about making good decisions. That's what they try to teach you in business school--and that's what I try to teach my 18-year old son. There's never been a time when it wasn't a critical business skill, but there's never been a time when it had to be employed to cover so many areas of daily business life as it is today. Deciding on a smart phone platform (or on a platform that doesn't include smart phones) will shape the nature of the mobile applications you can deploy. Deciding whether to move beyond WEP will impact your overall network security. If you're a small business owner, deciding on a mobile platform may well determine how you're perceived by partners and customers. Deciding on how to manage the parts of your life and communications devoted to work and personal time will have a major impact on your health and happiness. There are a lot of decisions here, each one touched upon in this week's issue of IT-Wireless. We'll keep trying to bring you information on which to base good decisions. The rest, I'm afraid, is up to you. -Curtis

How to secure the mobile warrior's work world

Sun, 22 Oct 2006 20:01:38 -0400

Traveling today isn't easy for a lot of reasons, and the plethora of mobile devices and wireless connectivity, while created to make us all more productive, requires a lot more oversight by today's IT enterprises. As this guide to mobile business outlines, there are more than just security concerns today. Users have to know the reason for and the necessity to back up data while on the road, why public hot spots aren't so friendly for business networks and why jumping on a public computer when a device fails requires some security knowledge. The guide, a two-part series, is something you can share with IT staff as well as the mobile wireless user. The second part is all about wireless connectivity issues and could prove invaluable to keeping productivity high and network security and data protection strong. Article

How to make sure wireless devices don't endanger the network

Sun, 16 Apr 2006 20:01:38 -0400

There's no going back when it comes to cell phones. Everyone seems to have one, and they use them at work more and more. The headache for IT leaders is making sure that cell phones don't bog down corporate networking environments, weaken network security or worsen the burgeoning malware problem that's coming to the wireless device environment.

The first step is strong and consistent user education. Mobile device users have to learn why that handy gadget presents a network issue and how it could put valuable corporate data at risk. On the IT side, it's important to establish an inventory of what's on the network today and what's coming on tomorrow. Then it's time to establish a specific mobile and wireless device user policy, detailing what's allowed, what's not and what happens to those who violate policy. In order to give them the mobility and functionality they need, users need to understand today's wireless connectivity risks and how their actions play an important role in protecting critical data. Article | Report