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Wireless computer networks based on the 802.11b and 802.11a standards are fast, cheap--and easy to hack. More-secure 802.11i hardware is at least a year away. But an interim specification from the Wi-Fi Alliance standards body called Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) should make it tougher for airborne invaders to crack Wi-Fi networks.
WPA offers better ways to filter out unauthorized users and stiffens encryption to block snoopers from reading intercepted messages. Unlike some proprietary solutions, WPA encryption works across all brands of equipment.
You will have to replace every Wi-Fi card and access point on your network or upgrade them with WPA software. "It's all or nothing," warns Keith Waryas, IDC wireless research director, who ...