Commercial Security Infrastructure
Many commercial companies have implemented wireless devices that
permit stores to establish additional point-of-sale machines quickly
when they add more departmental locations.
Wi-Fi devices are very convenient and allow these devices to work
quickly without the expense of adding additional wiring to link them.
However, the problem is that these devices transmit credit card numbers over the wireless network. Many of these systems were instituted
without any encryption schemes; those that were used the lower 40-bit
encryption scheme. Many hackers were able to intercept and eavesdrop
on these signals to pick up the credit card numbers and exploit them for
fraud.
Other commercial stores use wireless video cameras that transmit
images over either the 2.4 GHz spectrum or a short-range wireless network
so that the managers can keep tabs on all the unsecured areas of
the store to prevent shoplifting. Unfortunately, hackers found this out
and were able to tap into these systems to determine when store aisles
were vacant so that they could direct their cohorts in stealing items
from the store.
When it became clear that wireless point-of-sale machines and cameras
actually were more of a security risk than a benefit, these types of
wireless devices were discontinued in many areas, but not all. Hackers
are eager to search for companies that still use wireless cash registers
and cameras; they can then turn these items against the stores that
implemented them.
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