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WirelessDevNet.com Press Release
Over 50% of Organizations Will Have WLAN Deployments by 2006, According to META Group
STAMFORD, Conn.-- Nov. 16, 2004 -- IT organizations have slowly begun to dip their feet into the Wireless Land Area Network (WLAN) waters. By the end of this year, 30% of organizations will have transitioned WLAN trials into full production, according to research released today by META Group (Nasdaq: METG), a leading provider of information technology (IT) research, advisory services, and strategic consulting. WLAN adoption will accelerate over the next two years, with more than 50% of organizations deploying WLAN by 2006.
The dramatic rise in adoption rates, according to META Group analysts, can be traced to enhanced security developments, specifically, the introduction of WiFi Protected Access (WPA) models: "WPA has dramatically weakened the best argument against WiFi use and has given the upper hand to mobs of impatient enterprise users," said Peter Firstbrook, senior research analyst with META Group's Infrastructure Strategies. "However, while WPA will improve authentication and encryption concerns, it is not a security silver bullet."
META Group analysts caution CIOs to limit their reliance on WPA, arguing that it only satisfies one component of a comprehensive WLAN security plan. Research indicates that the widespread pervasiveness of wireless will make radio frequency monitoring a critical, and costly, part of the WLAN security puzzle, as well.
The primary purpose of radio frequency monitoring is to identify "rogue access points" - network access provided through misguided employees and/or hackers. These access points threaten the security of the organization because they allow backdoor access into corporate systems.
"Radio frequency monitoring is more complex than it may seem at first glance," continued Firstbrook. "Finding rogue access points is only half the battle - the other half is determining their intent and doing something about it. CIOs must make sure that they employ anti-rogue systems that can identify a legitimate security concern and disable the threat using radio signals."
In addition to WPA and radio frequency monitoring, analysts urge CIOs to consider the complete security picture when investing in WLAN deployments. Specifically, CIOs must address four key elements related to WLAN security:
1. The role of VNS, firewalls and other existing security mechanisms
2. Intrusion detection
3. Client security
4. Security monitoring and incident response
Experts also advocate the importance of a corporate security policy. CIOs will need to reevaluate their current polices to ensure that they are relevant and complete with the addition of WLAN to the network. Equally important will be the creation of end-user education programs that address the proper way to establish secure connections and the dangers of promiscuous networking.
"The bottom line is that while WLAN deployments can be of great benefit to organizations, they can also pose great security concerns, as well," concluded Firstbrook. "CIOs need to create a comprehensive plan that addresses the many different layers of security necessary to limit organizational risk. They will also need a corresponding budget to make that plan effective."
About META Group
META Group is a leading provider of information technology research, advisory services, and strategic consulting. Delivering objective and actionable guidance, META Group's experienced analysts and consultants are trusted advisors to IT and business executives around the world. Our unique collaborative models and dedicated customer service help clients be more efficient, effective, and timely in their use of IT to achieve their business goals. Visit metagroup.com for more details on our high-value approach.
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