RSA Devices Open to Attack

SAN FRANCISCO -- AirDefense, the innovator and market leader in anywhere, anytime wireless security, today unveiled results from its wireless airwave monitoring on Tuesday, February 6 at the RSA Conference, the world’s leading information security conference. AirDefense studied the wireless LAN traffic throughout the day Tuesday and found more than half of the 347 wireless devices, such as laptops, PDAs, phones and vendor PCs susceptible to “Evil Twin” types of attacks, combined with some of the latest zero-day attacks. In total, 56 percent of the 623 devices in use could have easily been compromised.

To speak to AirDefense regarding their findings stop by the AirDefense booth # 2146, or to schedule an interview with Richard Rushing, CSO, AirDefense, call Bill Keeler or Mark Cautela at Schwartz Communications at (781) 684-0770.

“Evil Twins” are the wireless version of email phishing scams, a technique whereby an attacker tricks victims into connecting to a laptop or PDA by posing as a legitimate hotspot. Zero-day attacks take advantage of new flaws in software programs, such as Internet Explorer that can compromise devices that have yet to be fixed by the vendor.

“There is a massive increase in the insecurity of laptops and wireless devices at this year’s RSA Conference and the irony is that at the world’s leading security conference many are not taking the security issue seriously at all,” said Richard Rushing, chief security officer, AirDefense. “Connecting wireless devices to insecure wireless networks greatly increases the chances of a breach due to insecure settings for other networks such as hot spots, hotels, airports and homes. No matter how strong the network is, today’s hacker is patient and doesn’t attack the device but waits for their victims to come to visit them.”

AirDefense Inc.