In the wake of Google’s announcement of Google Station, WatchGuard’s Director of Strategic Alliances Ryan Orsi, had a few thoughts about the security risks that accompany public Wi-Fi networks and how some wireless network management tools may not have all of the bases covered where security is concerned. Here’s a taste:
“William Shakespeare once wrote, “the eyes are the windows to your soul,” but if you ask savvy retailers, they might say it’s guest Wi-Fi. Why? New Wi-Fi systems allow them to use powerful features like social media integration, SMS and email to gather key information about customers and connect with them long after they leave a brick and mortor location. While these features are good for both the business and its customers, they can also create challenges for small business owners who are already extremely busy.
To help combat these challenges, Google recently announced Google Station, a suite of tools designed to make it easy to create, maintain and log in to Wi-Fi networks at places like parks, airports and coffee shops. And they’re not alone, for example GoGoGuest also recently launched to help coffee shops manage Wi-Fi usage.
It’s not surprising that Google and others are trying to improve public Wi-Fi. Consumers have a ravenous appetite for Wi-Fi, and expect a good Wi-Fi connection to be anywhere and everywhere. Unfortunately, many small businesses and distributed enterprises don’t have the technical expertise to set up their own networks properly. There is also a bigger problem. None of these solutions address the elephant in the room – security.”
For the full article, and more on common public Wi-Fi attacks and how businesses can prevent them, visit https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2016/10/10/public-wi-fi-security/