The Wonders and Woes of Wireless

Abstract

Ready or not, wireless devices have come of age. While not as mature adults, these devices that connect through cellular, radio frequency, infrared, spread spectrum, or other ethereal magic (Arthur C. Clark: “Technology, sufficiently advanced, is indistinguishable from magic.”) have invaded our enterprises like precocious teenagers wanting the privileged access granted mature systems without regard to their own lack of control. The personal digital assistant (PDA), the laptop PC, the Web-enabled cellular phone, and similar gadgets configured with wireless connectivity and sold as productivity enhancements are more accurately expensive toys that rapidly appear to grow into indispensable management information systems — often in the hands of executive management where an enterprise's most valuable and sensitive data is exchanged without regard to security considerations. One does not question the wisdom of wizards — that is, the magical nature of the communication must inherently protect the data because the user generally has no idea how it works.