In case you missed it, ZDNews ran a great article a couple of weeks ago on wireless network security: Worried about Wi-Fi security?
As Wi-Fi networks become popular in American homes, more people are exposed to dangers such as spyware, and the need to secure systems against those threats becomes more urgent. But for many ordinary owners, the complexity of dealing with a wireless network is leading them to put security on the back burner. If technology providers can't come up with products that will change that attitude, then the problem can only get worse.
People often struggle with installing their networks, causing them to think twice about putting in additional security measures or starting again from scratch to close potential vulnerabilities, experts said.
The truth is wireless networking was created and rushed to market with security tacked on as seemingly an afterthought. End-users are limited on their ability to configure wireless security options depending on the access point manufacturer, the usability of the device's interface, and the client device drivers. Each manufacturer has different labels on the interface for the same things. Just the difference between D-Link and Linksys is confusing, and their products are similar. Add to the mix that some products allow you to create a password for client access that is converted to the 26-character key while other products call the 26-character hex key the "passphrase".
When standards committees get together, they seem to leave off user interface issues. Interface standards are usually left up to manufacturers, resulting in poor product usability since it's a matter of interpretation. Some manufacturers do well designing interfaces while others do not. But just the different interpretations cause usability problems. Going back to my car analogy, if every car was put together differently, nobody would be able to drive different models. That is what has happed in wireless appliances. Nothing is the same. The actual poor design of the user interface and the inconsistent product implementation has actually caused a security problem with consumers and their wireless networks. (I'm not going to address how anything wireless is not secure anyway.)
As wireless security evolves and is integrated into the Wi-Fi standard, users will become lost even more. Security, the user interface, and product design should all be part of a single, cohesive design. The only way that can happen is if the standards are written to address those issues. However standards bodies are many times comprised of competing companies. They define standards broadly and with little regard for the end-user, leaving design issues as part of the competition among manufacturers.
Security should first and foremost lay the groundwork for any new technology standards. Like a foundation to a house, security should be the the first thing designed and implemented for product design and nearly invisible to the user.
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