SecureWave announces the release and immediate availability of WaveLock 1.0, a free utility that prevents the use of wireless network adapters recognized by Windows 2000 and Windows XP. Corporate network infrastructures are usually carefully secured against attacks from the outside, and abuse from the inside. Yet all these precautions can be defeated if a second network, parallel to the corporate one, can be created. Such a parallel network is easily established using a wireless network adapter (also Wireless LAN "WLAN" cards). Windows 2000 and Windows XP come with many pre-installed wireless network adapters drivers. Anyone can insert one of the wireless network adapters supported by Windows and have it working in seconds. Installation does not require administrative privilege as drivers are pre-installed and its use can hardly be traced by network administrators. Without restricting the ability to install wireless network adapters, organizations expose themselves to the risk of disclosing sensitive data. Moreover, wireless network adapters also open computers to the introduction of malicious software, effectively making an end-run around the expensive and carefully maintained firewall that is supposed to prevent just that malicious software from reaching the network. While most development effort to date have been concentrated on securing wireless data transfers, little attention has been paid to the means of controlling and authorizing the wireless network adapter use in order to avoid related network security breaches. WaveLock assists in enforcing security policies by blocking access to wireless network adapters on any or all laptops, making it harder to circumvent firewalls, filters, proxies, and other required safeguards. WaveLock will detect any attempt to install wireless network adapters and will prevent corresponding drivers from loading, rendering the adapter inoperative. By preventing unauthorized usage of wireless network adapters, WaveLock is a welcome addition to a layered defense strategy … and it is free! For more information, and to download WaveLock, got to http://securewave.com/products/free_utilities/wavelock.html.
