Wireless Networks And Security Issues: A Study On Small And Medium Enterprises

How original is the approach?

The wireless access has been supplying a ubiquitous connectivity for various environments of users. Various public wireless networks are seen as the origin of competitive differences. In this study SME of various organizations are identified and then interviewed about their sessions in implementing wireless networks. The report also intends to consider how convenient the consumer usages has been [2]. Moreover, those representatives of SME has believed that they has been gaining competitive advances for prior adoptions. This has been considering the advantages of wireless tools for outweighing various effective risks. They has been considering problems of privacy as the minimum factor to adopt [1].  

Section 2: How original is the approach?

Different threats to different wireless scenarios has been present irrespective of the locale, business size and industry type. Here, the threats ate important and effective for adequate measures to protect that are to be implemented. Same threats that has been happening against topologies of wireless networks. This is to concentrate on necessary issues to assure elements, accountabilities, integrities, availabilities and so on. In In this study the confidentiality is to be determined, regarding how to protect data from exploration or acquisition through unintended type of parties.

Section 3: Literature review on wireless security issues:

Here, the data confidentiality has been involving the transmission of wireless technology to be maintained. This is done through using technology of encryptions. Here, the most prevalent standard of wireless technologies that are used today are IEEE 802.11b. It has been providing WEP or “Wired Equivalent Privacy”. It is found by Hu et al. (2018) that various present0day companies are found to be using the IEEE 802.11B as the most useful and standard choice to provide access of wireless to different local geographic sectors [4]. However, WEP has been only providing an essential layer of protection that has been thin in nature. This is because it has been simply consisted of various methods of hacking. Process availability to sustain technology is a kind of form. This is usable for the tended reasons. Apart from this, IEEE 802.11b has been particularly sufficient to deliver wireless services. Apart from this, due to high-risk status, has been guaranteeing the expected use of technology that has been questionable at the best. Here, the integrity has been denoting to data reliability.

According to Correia De Barros et al. (2014) under the scenario of wireless, data integrity denotes the transmission from any host to other that can been threatened easily [5]. Here, a proven mode to mitigate has been through using VPN or Virtual Private Network. Here the tools are been allowed to secure transmitting data over various wireless media. This is done through authenticated and encrypted services. Moreover, wireless traffics has been also isolating to a smart non-routable and an effective private network. Here VPN gateway has been isolating the Internet or routable network. Further, through using the free VPN client software, users are able to be providing and authenticating encrypted tunnel, as far as data traffic is considered. Apart from this Hughes et al. (2017) has highlighted that accountability has been referring to process, through which supervisors of technology has been able to hold the individuals and various parties [7]. They are liable for those activities. Using of VPN methods in wireless environment has been providing the method through which routed traffics has been requiring encrypted and authenticated origins.

Literature review on wireless security issues

Apart from this, the necessity of authentication has been providing the tool. These are meant to determine the people who has been responsible regarding various activities that are improper. Chaves et al.  (2017) has also shown that various establishment of considerable huge sets of threats are availability, integrity, confidentiality of environments under wireless network technology. This is the examples of various emerging tools, issues of threats that are mainly after thought [8]. These wireless environment threats could be easily translated to risks due to different known vulnerabilities. Moreover, there are insertion attacks are there. Here the wireless customers has been plugging directly to wireless access points.

Additionally, there are another type of insertion attack also known as “pugged-in” in different unauthorized base stations. Here, the end users has been deploying personal points under the wired networks instead of any authorization as per Lopez-de-Teruel et al. (2017) [11]. Besides, wireless scenarios are susceptible to analyzing wireless traffics, and eaves dropping, man-in-middle attacks, unauthorized access, repaying attacks, DoS or Denial-of-Service attacks and hijacking of sessions.

Here, various situations are analyzed, where threats, countermeasures and remediation are taken into consideration. These are done under the light of effective cost benefit analysis in developing reasonable security level. The model of cost-benefit suggest that the systems are relatively at lower levels of risks as far as accountability, integrity, availability and confidentiality is considered. Here reasonable protection levels are gained instead of any high level expenditures. Further, Dohare et al. (2015) has analyzed that at most cases, level of protections and costs are related directly at the minimum level to protect [12]. This typically needs least level of expenditure in assuring protections. Apart from this expense or protection levels comprises of direct relationships along with those IT value of wireless networks. Thus, in other words as the IT value is greater, the level of protection rises and the thus, typically the cost of delivering the security is also high simultaneously.

The wireless technology is capable of boosting up the small and medium scale enterprises in the following ways:

One of the major advantages for the implementation of the wireless networks in the small and the medium based industries is the fact that the wireless technologies are capable of providing a natural boost to the business mobility in the industries. A general workplace that is well equipped with the wireless Local Area Network (LAN) activity, it is seen that the employees get the opportunity to work with ease as they are free from all the hassles of the congestion of the network cables. Moreover, Hertlein et al. (2018) has mentioned that the implementation of a wireless LAN, workplaces get the opportunity of accessing the information anywhere within the range covered by the wireless network within the office premises [14]. Retrieval of the documents get easier with the use off the wireless network as a result of which the productivity of the company increases automatically that reflects their long term performance. By studying several literary articles, it has been found that with the comprehensive usage of the wireless network the employees within the company gets an opportunity to cooperate with each other and share the desired information that is beneficial for the enhancement of the company’s performance in the future as per Lohan et al. (2017) [16]. The capability of a wireless network allows it to access information from anywhere within the office premises. Through the wireless networks, quick updates are also easily achievable.

Benefits of wireless technology for small and medium enterprises

With the progression of the technological world, more people are getting more into availing use of the internet. In a recent study, it was estimated that a percentage of 63.4% mobile users are going to use the internet through their smart devices by the end of 2017. As this is 2018 at present, the statics predicted at that time has been found to be true as the data reached the prediction limit. People nowadays expect to be connected with the Wi-Fi or Wireless Fidelity every time they are on the mode of travelling. Accordingly, Kazmi et al. (2014) has mentioned that a free Wi-Fi for the valuable customers of the company will open a new door of opportunities for the company, as the loyal customers are the valuable assets for the company [19]. Free Wi-Fi will engage the customers to get more involved with the company facilitating the business procedures. According to a recent study, a total of the 62 percent of the business owners have confessed that the customers of the company spend more time on the office premises if an free Wi-Fi is offered to them. Several other studies show that the companies that provide a free Wi-Fi to the customers have been able to taste more success rate than the enterprises that have not.

The impact of the wireless technology has been huge in the industries that comprise of the start-up companies and the medium scale industries. The wireless technologies allows the staff members to share information on the go and access information from anywhere and anytime. With the implementation of the wireless technologies it has been seen that the employees are more able to collaborate with each other and share the information that is necessary to facilitate the business processes according to Miao,  Yuping Wang, and Wei Jing–Xuan (2015) [23]. It is due to this reason that the overall workflow of the company gets enough freedom and the business operations get flexible. The implementation of the wireless technologies facilitates the bringing of own device or the BYOD trend at the workplace through which the employees get a chance to access the internet with their own devices using the wireless technology. This very trend provides a flexibility to the employees and as a result of which the overall productivity of the company gets enhanced accordingly. Several surveys report that the BYOD trend has not only brought a flexibility among the working procedures of the employees but also has increased the productivity of the company substantially. The BYOD trend increases the productivity by helping the company to cut down on its operational expenses enhancing the productivity.

The wireless technologies have proven itself in providing the small and the medium scale industries with the added benefits. It can be frustrating at times when the agent is unable to answer the queries of the customers. This takes into the account of the negative feedback when the customers are not satisfied with the services that are provided by the company. It has been shown in the several past studies on this concept of the implementation of the wireless technologies in the workplaces that the words of mouth often proves to be valuable for the small and medium scale industries to foster in the commercial market. In the world of business the words of mouth is considered as a crucial factor in determining the success rate of the companies. On the contrary, WU, Yanqiong, and Shiping (2015) has highlighted that a negative feedback from the customers may hamper the flow of processes within the organisation. With the help of the wireless technology, the information gets readily available on the internet. The fast and direct data available for the customers allow them to be more satisfied than the traditional ways of dealing with the services. Lightning fast wireless networks allow the companies to be more responsive as they are more able to connect to the customers and address their queries.

Conclusion

The wireless technologies allow the start up companies and the entrepreneurs to be more flexible in their approach of their concerned business, which in turn allows the business processes to expand and grow quickly within a very short span of time. The flexibility of the wireless network allows the business organisations to be more flexible in adding new users to the network as per Hodon and Hacene Fouchal (2017) [25]. The flexibility acquired through the expansion of the wireless networks allows the business organisations to be more dynamic for which they are able to restructure the offices, expand the office premises and manage the services very easily. The workplaces that are well equipped with the wireless technologies online connectivity are more able to get the chance of reconfiguring their requirements. In addition to it, the wireless technologies also help the companies to ostracize the shifting costs and the costs required for the replacement of the cables from time to time. Shen, Haikuo, Kaihua Zhang and Afsoon Nejati (2017) writes that the wireless technology helps in the facilitation of the workplace activities by enhancing the services and the operational activities. With the use of the wireless technologies the business organisations get a chance to increase the productivity. The productivity of the companies with the wireless networks is seriously expected to increase with the implementation of it. There is also a serious need of valuing these wireless technologies in bringing a revolutionary change in the working environment of the commercial sectors.

The GPS devices have been assisting the business industries for quite a couple of years and has proven its worth in meeting up with the requirements for the small and medium scale industries. With the GPS services, the business sectors are more able to track their services with very less relative efforts. The GPS technology has been able to assist the business industries with a lot of its services. The advantages of the GPS services are mainly availed by the transportation industries in tracking the shipments along with other necessary items according to Zheng et al. (2017) [27]. It helps the transportation industry by making them more efficient and effective. The wireless technology used in these devices help them to search for the effective routes and also guides them in tracking the vehicles used for the industrial purposes. GPS services brings an efficiency to the industries with the help of the mobile component. Several studies and researches in the past has shown the wireless technology used in the GPS devices has been able to sort out half of the problems in that sector. Not only the companies, but also the employees of the organisation are aided with the usage of the GPS services.

Section 5: Research gap 

Besides, SMEs needs to develop wireless service to clients and not exhibiting the sense of any kind of urgency. This occurs as any issue to protect the technology from any malicious activities.

Instead of reports of media hackers, intellectual sabotages and viruses, the overshadowed interest of SME, is to be understood.
Section 6: Aim of research & Structure of paper:

Since the community of wireless has been continuing to expand and develop, there is a clear and abundant necessity that has been existing.

Hence there are necessities to establish the standards of wireless security and providing the rise in levels of assurances in that medium. At common wireless security deployments in present format, there has been no supply of sufficient security level.

• In this study the background of the current issues are understood.
• The problems with wireless security challenges are analyzed.
• Next, various levels of protection are demonstrated.

In the current situation of implementing wireless technology, security rationale for some organizations at Australia are considered. They have been including various wireless networks to their business plans and current infrastructures. These case studies are sufficient as any in0detailed understanding of current events are considered.

Here a qualitative analysis is done. Moreover, the data analysis is also a primary type [24]. This is helpful to retrieve huge information and knowledge for the researcher. There is also a need of investigating phenomenon under organizational context and in-depth knowledge. In the organizations, all the SME managers and owners are contacted personally. They are further requested to spend a face-to-face interview. Here a valuable follow-up are to be made to the discussions to insure that people agree with the interpretation of responses of interviewees. Here, every respondent are provided with every interview to agree with interpretation of responses to interviewees. Moreover, SME managers and owners has been asking queries of the researchers about thoughts to security stapes. This are to be considered regarding the extent of reach of signals.  

1. Data Inclusion Criteria 

The standard script of questions ate to be used in the interview. This is before administrating SME managers and owners. This interview results must be provided to technology officers to any organization where wireless networks are to be implemented recently.

For determining the area of wireless networks, the NetStumbler software, company promotions and word of mouth. The last two methods are used for finding wireless networks that has been popular and established in the community. Besides, there are no comprehensive listing of available public use of wireless networks. However, NetStumbler is useful to locate networks that are not been promoted. The software has been used with conjunction with NIC or wireless “Network Interface Card”. This is helpful to find the presence of access points of wireless networks. It main use if to determine access points that are helpful to rogue and posing security threats and to the effective “war drive”. This practice drives around in locating, mapping and illegally stealing services that ate provided by wireless networks.v

Here, most of the involved SMEs in the study are found to be using wireless networks in a typical way. This has been particularly for participants who have been providing access of wireless networks to patrons. This is a subject of differentiating individuals from competitors. The various view-points from where those specific SMEs has viewed wireless security has needed a detailed study. Further, the two-way type of communication that is afforded by interviewing interviews is paramount to find underpinning causes of including wireless and know the approach towards protection. The managers and business wonders under the specific market area has been viewing the treats of horizon. Further, it is also seem that the view-points of managers, there are various advantages involving the service providing to service to customers. Here, the benefits top those underpinning factors has been guiding the practices of business managers and owners as they face the issues of security.

1. Discussion

From the above research it is seen that the technological advancement has been over the years in the field of science and development. The business processes have changed to a huge amount in the recent years. Relying on the wireless technology, the industries have been able to acquire a new boost in the commercial market. The positive impact of the wireless technology has been large in the small and medium scale industries considering the fact that have been able to make some comprehensible profits in the worldwide market. In some recent studies, it has been shown that the enterprises have been well equipped with the new and the innovative technologies are being implemented on the industries. The wireless technology is being widely accepted by the small and medium based enterprises. The sheer advancement in the wireless technology has rendered the various difficulties that the small and the medium industries had to face in the earlier days of development. With the help of the wireless technologies the various doors of opportunities are being opened in front of the enterprises with each day. 

Conclusions 

The current research has focused on implementing wireless networks. The focus is totally justified due to the inherent weakness of the innovation. However, small attention has been provided to implementing the technology where the security is a primary issue. The SME case denotes the industry where wireless security has received the least attention. Though speculations has suggested that lack of technology acumen is reason. However, the current study presents stronger arguments for that specific dearth of concern. The various activities done would be directed to differentiation of attracting and then retaining customers. Thus the interviews from the managers and owners has been believing the efforts that have been totally successful. The security of network has been the main focus. Further, the customer service has been always there. Here all the participants has been believing the investments that has been cost efficient. Moreover, there is a high holding of promises further researches. Thus the study has cleared that the e-commerce and Internet has been reshaping the kind of relationship taking pace between business and customers that has affected overall industries. Besides, the interviews has been highly efficient for qualitative researches. This has been helpful to explain, understand better and explore various opinions of research subjects, phenomenon, behavior and experiences. These questions are meant to be open-minded ones such that an in-detailed data can be collected.

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