Wireless networking can bring unprecedented flexibility to many different working environments. But Wi-Fi is not without its risks.  If your company has not properly secured its wireless network or does not know whether employees are using unauthorized devices (e.g. laptops or PDAs) to connect to the network, then it is only a matter of time before disaster strikes.

Wireless connections can be accessed from a considerable distance. It is possible that a wireless network in an office could be hijacked from another floor in the same building or from a neighboring building. Sometimes this is the result of an individual hijacking the connection to gain free Internet access. However, the same security holes could be exploited by individuals in an attempt to penetrate and attack networks or steal data.

Unsecured wireless networks are particularly dangerous because employees may connect to them using laptops or PDAs that do not have correctly configured security settings. Although these devices do not allow a direct link into corporate networks, they create a bridge over which viruses or worms might pass when the unsecured laptop is connected to the corporate network.