Wireless data transmission is subject to a higher risk of interception than wired traffic, in the same way that it is
easier to intercept calls made from cell phones than calls from landline telephones. There is no need to manually tap into the connection, but rather remote tools can be used to intercept the connection covertly. Wireless transmission of confidential information should be protected with strong encryption. An insecure wireless connection exposes users to eavesdropping, which can lead to the exposure of confidential information, intercepted messages or abused connections. Here are some examples:
• Email can be intercepted and read or changed.
• Hackers can replace a user’s credential with false information that leads to the destination server rejecting the user’s access attempts, thereby causing denial-of-service (DoS).
• An unauthorized person can log on to a wireless network that is not secure and use its resources, including free connectivity to the Internet.