Information is a commodity, to be bought and sold.

The speed and ease of technology has made the trading of information more convenient for businesses and consumers, and equally convenient for crooks.

All electronic information is open to hacking, and there are plenty of unscrupulous people out there eager to take what they can. And new wireless technology has simplified the task.

Wireless transmissions are easily pulled from the air, unless encrypted — scrambled at the start and translated at the destination. Even so, not every wireless system is encrypted.

During a recent drive through the Twin Cities, a WarDriver – someone who identifies and charts the security of wireless systems – encountered 157 wireless access points. Of those, 72 are encrypted to retain privacy.

That’s fewer than half of the systems operating in this community. If representative of Maine at large, that ratio means hundreds of systems are vulnerable. The privacy of thousands is open to inspection.

While WarDrivers merely identify systems that can be hacked without actually penetrating systems, hackers intent on stealing information use the same technology to identify open ports.

The thought that a hacker, sitting in a car on the street, could simply gather credit card numbers or personal medical information as electronic transactions stream through space should give us all pause. Business owners have an obligation to protect the privacy of their customers.

Best Buy learned that the hard way.

Earlier this year, the electronics store – after installing wireless cash registers at 492 stores – eliminated the system because someone may have lifted a customer’s credit card number transmitted during a transaction. Best Buy spent a bundle to dump its wireless system in favor of hard wiring because the newer technology was vulnerable.

Although there haven’t been any complaints about unlawful entry into networks through wireless technology in Maine, that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened. Entry can be undetected and victims may not even know they’ve been hacked.

And it is happening in other parts of the country so it’s just a matter of time before it happens in Maine.

Wireless technology is here to stay. Its speed and ease make it attractive, but its porous walls make it vulnerable. The verified number of wireless systems in Lewiston-Auburn alone that can be easily hacked should send wireless users scrambling to protect the information stream.

Encryption is a must for businesses, even if it makes systems more expensive. The cost of leaving a door open to hackers, and the potential damage to consumers, is a far greater concern. And, if information is stolen, far more costly.


jmeyer@sunjournal.com

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