SMEs failing to protect networks from Wi-Fi invasion
Seventy per cent of SMEs are failing to protect their corporate networks from Wi-Fi invasions, according to network access control vendor Napera Networks. A survey by the vendor has revealed that three in four companies have no control over Wi-Fi security, with 57 per cent unable to tell which machines are accessing the network.
More than half of the businesses admitted they allow staff shared passwords to log on over wireless access points.
Pierre Blom, vice president for EMEA at Napera Networks, said: “Despite the number of security breaches we have seen over the past year, many companies still do not have the policies, practices and solutions needed to protect their network.
“But by failing to enforce security, SMEs leave themselves open to attacks, which could see their networks or data compromised.”
Almost half of those surveyed claimed their company does not have a clear policy governing endpoint security. More than 50 per cent admitted they fail to check that the computers accessing the network are up to date and patched.
More than half have guests accessing the internet or network resources daily, with 20 per cent allowing them to plug directly into the network without checking the security state of their machines or requiring any authentication.
Blom added: “With the UK heading towards a recession, it is critical organisations of all sizes protect themselves from any potential threats that could end up costing millions.
“All businesses should have policies in place to identify and control who and what are accessing the network. Any guest users or remote workers should be checked to ensure their devices are patched and up to date, and all individuals should have their own password.”
Reproduced from an article published by ChannelWeb
© ChannelWeb
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http://www.channelweb.co.uk/crn/news/2231842/smes-failing-protect-networks
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